Distinct Structural Changes Research Articles

Distinct brain and neurocognitive transformations after bariatric surgery: a pilot study

BackgroundObese patients have worse outcomes after surgery and are at increased risk for perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND). Our aim was to detail the cognitive trajectories of patients undergoing bariatric surgery (BS) and map distinct structural brain changes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to better understand the association between the vulnerable brain, surgery, and the arc of PND.MethodsProspective pilot study with longitudinal comprehensive cognitive assessments and MRI were performed on obese patients scheduled for BS. We analyzed baseline cognitive function and high-resolution T1-/T2-weighted brain images on 19 obese patients [age, 54 (9) years, BMI, 40 (36, 42) kg m−2] and compared with 50 healthy control subjects [age, 52 (6) years; BMI, 25 (24, 27) kg m−2]. Patients were evaluated within five days of BS (baseline), immediately after (within 48h), and follow up at six months.ResultsAt baseline, obese patients had significant brain tissue changes seen in MRI and decreased cognitive scores compared to controls (MoCA 26 vs 28, P = 0.017). Surgery induced further gray matter volume and brain tissue changes along with reduced cognitive scores within the immediate postoperative period (MoCA 26 vs 24, P < 0.001). At six months, we observed reversal of brain alterations for most patients and a concomitant rebound of cognitive scores to patient’s baseline status.ConclusionsBariatric surgery resulted in worsening of preexisting brain structural integrity and lower cognitive function for obese patients compared to baseline. These distinct brain lesions are consistent with specific domains of cognition. Most of these changes reverted to patient’s baseline condition within six months after surgery.

Influence of Solution Treatment Temperatures on LPBF-Produced Inconel 939 Alloy on Mechanical Performance

This study investigates the influence of solution treatment temperatures on the microstructure and mechanical properties of LPBF (Laser Powder Bed Fusion)-manufactured Inconel 939 alloy. The primary objectives are to assess the impact of sub-recrystallization (below recrystallization temperature) and recrystallization temperatures during solution treatment on mechanical performance under different conditions. This study validates the hypothesis concerning carbide redistribution and mechanical performance in LPBF-produced Inconel 939 parts through comprehensive analysis, including microstructure studies and tensile tests. The results indicate that higher heat treatment temperatures lead to significant changes in carbide redistribution and mechanical performance. For instance, at room temperature, the specimen with sub-recrystallization solution treatment temperature exhibited superior mechanical properties compared to both the as-built and recrystallization-temperature solution treatment specimens. However, at elevated temperatures (700 °C), a reversal in mechanical anisotropy was observed, with the vertical axis demonstrating higher tensile strength compared to the horizontal axis for all material states. Furthermore, a microstructural analysis revealed distinct changes in grain structure and precipitate distribution, particularly the migration of carbides from grain boundaries to intragranular regions. These findings underscore the importance of precise control over heat treatment parameters to achieve optimal mechanical behavior. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing LPBF processes for the Inconel 939 alloy, highlighting the need for a meticulous control of the solution treatment parameters to ensure mechanical integrity. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of material-specific responses in additive manufacturing, with significant implications for aerospace applications.

Brain structural changes underlying clinical symptom improvement following fast-acting treatments in treatment resistant depression

BackgroundElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT), ketamine infusion (KI), and total sleep deprivation (TSD) are effective and fast in treating patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, it remains unclear whether the three treatments have the same effect on clinical symptom improvement and have common brain structural mechanisms. MethodsThe current study included 127 TRD patients and 37 healthy controls, which were obtained from the Perturbation of the Treatment Resistant Depression Connectome Project. We aimed to investigate the shared and distinct brain structural changes underlying clinical symptom improvement among ECT, KI, and TSD treatments. ResultsAll of the three treatments significantly reduced the depressive symptoms in TRD patients, but they differently affected other clinical measurements. Neuroimaging results also revealed that all of ECT, KI, and TSD treatments significantly increased gray matter volume of left caudate after treatment in TRD patients. However, the gray matter volume of other brain regions including hippocampus, parahippocampus, amygdala, insula, fusiform gyrus, several occipital and temporal areas was increased only after ECT treatment. Still, the baseline or the change of gray matter volume did not correlate with the depressive symptom improvement for all of the three treatments. LimitationsA higher sample size would be required to further validate our findings. ConclusionsThe results observed in the current study suggested that the ECT, KI, and TSD treatments differently affected clinical measurements and brain structures in TRD patients, though all of them were effective in depressive symptom improvement, which might facilitate the development of personalized treatment protocol for this disease.

Revealing the degradation pathways of layered Li-rich oxide cathodes.

Layered lithium-rich transition metal oxides are promising cathode candidates for high-energy-density lithium batteries due to the redox contributions from transition metal cations and oxygen anions. However, their practical application is hindered by gradual capacity fading and voltage decay. Although oxygen loss and phase transformation are recognized as primary factors, the structural deterioration, chemical rearrangement, kinetic and thermodynamic effects remain unclear. Here we integrate analysis of morphological, structural and oxidation state evolution from individual atoms to secondary particles. By performing nanoscale to microscale characterizations, distinct structural change pathways associated with intraparticle heterogeneous reactions are identified. The high level of oxygen defects formed throughout the particle by slow electrochemical activation triggers progressive phase transformation and the formation of nanovoids. Ultrafast lithium (de)intercalation leads to oxygen-distortion-dominated lattice displacement, transition metal ion dissolution and lithium site variation. These inhomogeneous and irreversible structural changes are responsible for the low initial Coulombic efficiency, and ongoing particle cracking and expansion in the subsequent cycles.

Changes of cardiac structure and function in pregnant women with different types of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and their influencing factors

Objective: To analyze the changes in cardiac structure and function in women with different types of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and explore their influencing factors. Methods: A total of 1 967 pregnant women diagnosed with HDP who delivered at Peking University Third Hospital from January 1, 2014 to April 15, 2022 were included in the study. They were categorized into four groups based on specific HDP diagnoses: gestational hypertension (506 cases, 25.7%), pre-eclampsia (589 cases, 29.9%), pregnancy complicated with chronic hypertension (332 cases, 16.9%) and chronic hypertension with pre-eclampsia (540 cases, 27.5%). Differences in cardiac structure and function among four groups were retrospectively analyzed. Cardiac structure indicators included left atrial diameter (LAD), left atrial area (LAA), right atrial area (RAA), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), interventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), systolic function indicators included left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), lateral systolic mitral annular velocity (Sm), diastolic function indicators included peak early diastolic mitral in flow velocity (E)/peak late diastolic mitral in flow velocity (A), and E/peak early diastolic myocardial velocity of the lateral mitral annulus early diastolic velocity (Em). Influencing factors on cardiac structure and function were analyzed using generalized linear regression. Influencing factors were assessed by generalized linear regression. Results: (1) General clinical data: the differences in age, gestational week at delivery, blood pressure, proportion of diabetes, and length of hospital stay were statistically significant among four different HDP types (all P<0.05). (2) Compared with pregnant women with pregnancy complicated with chronic hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and gestational hypertension, those with chronic hypertension with pre-eclampsia had larger LAD, LAA, RAA and LVEDD (all P<0.001), thicker IVST and LVPWT (all P<0.001), and reduced left ventricular diastolic function (E/A, lateral Em, E/Em) and systolic function (lateral Sm; all P<0.001). Pregnant women with gestational hypertension had the least changes in cardiac structure and function. Compared with pregnant women with pre-eclampsia, those with pregnancy complicated with chronic hypertension had smaller RAA (P<0.001) and lower E/A (P<0.001), with no significant difference in other indicators (all P>0.05). (3) Chronic hypertension with pre-eclampsia, pregnancy complicated with chronic hypertension, and pre-eclampsia were associated with larger LAD, LAA, and LVEDD, and lower lateral Em (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Different types of HDP are associated with distinct changes in cardiac structure and function. Chronic hypertension with pre-eclampsia demonstrates the most pronounced alterations, followed by pre-eclampsia and pregnancy complicated with chronic hypertension, and gestational hypertension showed the least changes.

Chiral nematic composite coatings as a visual detection platform for formic acid with anti-water interference

Formic acid is an important industrial chemical but is toxic and corrosive. To benefit its qualified use and to avoid corrosion or injury from touching, rapid, portable and sensitive on-site sensing of formic acid is thus of considerable importance. Here, a photonic crystal coating sensor for formic acid visual detection is fabricated through the mild co-assembly of both biomass-based cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) on a quartz glass slide. Further surface modification by hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HTDMS) with low surface energy significantly overcomes the inherent water intolerance of the CNC-HPCD composite while maintaining its chiral nematic structure. The resulting hydrophobic CNC-HPCD (H-CNC) sensing slide shows a distinct and rapid structural color change after formic acid stimulation, realizing the formic acid detection by naked eye. By virtue of its stable and repeatable water resistance, the H-CNC sensing slide enables the specific colorimetric detection of formic acid in water-containing environments for qualitative and even quantitative purposes. This study suggests that H-CNC has the potential to act as a high-performance sensing platform that is useful for the colorimetric detection of formic acid in some industrial products.

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging key features for distinguishing pathologically confirmed corticobasal degeneration from its mimics: a retrospective analysis of the J-VAC study.

Due to the indistinguishable clinical features of corticobasal syndrome (CBS), the antemortem differentiation between corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and its mimics remains challenging. However, the utility of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of CBD has not been sufficiently evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of conventional MRI findings in differentiating pathologically confirmed CBD from its mimics. Semiquantitative visual rating scales were employed to assess the degree and distribution of atrophy and asymmetry on conventional T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. Additionally, subcortical white matter hyperintensity (SWMH) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images were visually evaluated. In addition to 19 patients with CBD, 16 with CBD mimics (progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP): 9, Alzheimer's disease (AD): 4, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB): 1, frontotemporal lobar degeneration with TAR DNA-binding protein of 43kDa(FTLD-TDP): 1, and globular glial tauopathy (GGT): 1) were investigated. Compared with the CBD group, the PSP-CBS subgroup showed severe midbrain atrophy without SWMH. The non-PSP-CBS subgroup, comprising patients with AD, DLB, FTLD-TDP, and GGT, showed severe temporal atrophy with widespread asymmetry, especially in the temporal lobes. In addition to over half of the patients with CBD, two with FTLD-TDP and GGT showed SWMH, respectively. This study elucidates the distinct structural changes between the CBD and its mimics based on visual rating scales. The evaluation of atrophic distribution and SWMH may serve as imaging biomarkers of conventional MRI for detecting background pathologies.

Astrocyte Mitochondria Are a Sensitive Target of PCB52 and its Human-Relevant Metabolites.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are industrial chemicals that are ubiquitously found in the environment. Exposure to these compounds has been associated with neurotoxic outcomes; however, the underlying mechanisms for such outcomes remain to be fully understood. Recent studies have shown that astrocytes, the most abundant glial cell type in the brain, are susceptible to PCB exposure as well as exposure to human-relevant metabolites of PCBs. Astrocytes are critical for maintaining healthy brain function due to their unique functional attributes and positioning within the neuronal networks in the brain. In this study, we assessed the toxicity of PCB52, one of the most abundantly found PCB congeners in outdoor and indoor air, and two of its human-relevant metabolites, on astrocyte mitochondria. We exposed C6 cells, an astrocyte cell line, to PCB52 or its human-relevant metabolites and found that all the compounds showed increased toxicity in galactose-containing media compared to that in the glucose-containing media, indicating the involvement of mitochondria in observed toxicity. Additionally, we also found increased oxidative stress upon exposure to PCB52 metabolites. All three compounds caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, distinct changes in the mitochondrial structure, and impaired mitochondrial function. The hydroxylated metabolite 4-OH-PCB52 likely functions as an uncoupler of mitochondria. This is the first study to report the adverse effects of exposure to PCB52 and its human-relevant metabolites on the mitochondrial structure and function in astrocytes.

Cluster analysis of clinical phenotypes in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy patients complicated with cardiac involvement.

This study aimed to classify idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients with cardiac involvement (IIM-CI) into different categories based on their clinical phenotypes via cluster analysis and to explore their differences in outcomes. IIM-CI patients admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2015 to June 2021 were retrieved. The clinical data, laboratory examinations, and treatment were retrospectively reviewed, and the outcome was traced. A second-order clustering method was employed for categorization. A total of 88 IIM-CI patients were enrolled in this study and were classified into two categories through cluster analysis. Category I consisted of patients who exhibited distinct cardiac structural and functional changes, such as enlargement of atriums and/or ventricles, along with the remarkable heart insufficiency biomarkers, whereas patients of category II displayed more widely systemic injuries and intensive skeletal muscle weakness. In comparison, pulmonary hypertension (58.8% vs 16.7%, p < 0.01), arrhythmia (82.4% vs 27.8%, p < 0.01), and positive serum anti-mitochondrial-M2 antibody (52.9% vs 5.6%, p < 0.01) were more prevalent in category I than in category II, and serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels (1703.5 pg/L vs 364.0 pg/L, p = 0.02) were significantly elevated in category I, whereas skeletal muscle weakness (50.0% vs 74.1%, p = 0.02), interstitial lung disease (20.6% vs 63.0%, p < 0.01), skin rash (11.8% vs 48.1%, p < 0.01), arthralgia (2.9% vs 27.8%, p < 0.01), fever (2.9% vs 27.8%, p < 0.01), and dysphagia (2.9% vs 22.2%, p < 0.01) were more common in category II patients. Heart failure was the primary cause of death in category I, but severe pneumonia was predominantly responsible for deaths in category II. Two categories of IIM-CI were identified based on clinical features with distinctive characteristics. Two categories exhibited differences in clinical manifestations, autoantibody profiles, and the primary cause of death.

Enhancing Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanocomposites with Carboxy-Functionalized Graphene: An In-Depth Analysis of Mechanical, Barrier, Electrical, Antibacterial, and Chemical Properties.

To enhance the various properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), varying concentrations of carboxy-functionalized graphene (CFG) were employed in the preparation of CFG/PVA nanocomposite films. FTIR and XRD analyses revealed that CFG, in contrast to graphene, not only possesses carboxylic acid group but also exhibits higher crystallinity. Mechanical testing indicated a notable superiority of CFG addition over graphene, with optimal mechanical properties such as tensile and yield strengths being achieved at a 3% CFG concentration. Relative to pure PVA, the tensile strength and yield strength of the composite increased by 2.07 and 2.01 times, respectively. XRD analysis showed distinct changes in the crystalline structure of PVA with the addition of CFG, highlighting the influence of CFG on the composite structure. FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed the formation of ester bonds between CFG and PVA, enhancing the overall performance of the material. TGA results also demonstrated that the presence of CFG enhanced the thermal stability of CFG/PVA nanocomposite films. However, analyses using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that a 3% concentration of CFG was uniformly dispersed, whereas a 6% concentration of CFG caused aggregation of the nanofiller, leading to a decrease in performance. The incorporation of CFG significantly enhanced the water vapor and oxygen barrier properties of PVA, with the best performance observed at a 3% CFG concentration. Beyond this concentration, barrier properties were diminished owing to CFG aggregation. The study further demonstrated an increase in electrical conductivity and hydrophobicity of the nanocomposites with the addition of CFG. Antibacterial tests against E. coli showed that CFG/PVA nanocomposites exhibited excellent antibacterial properties, especially at higher CFG concentrations. These findings indicate that CFG/PVA nanocomposites, with an optimized CFG concentration, have significant potential for applications requiring enhanced mechanical strength, barrier properties, and antibacterial capabilities.

Evaluating the Effect of Alzheimer's Disease-Related Biomarker Change in Corticobasal Syndrome and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

To evaluate the effect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) -related biomarker change on clinical features, brain atrophy and functional connectivity of patients with corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Data from patients with a clinical diagnosis of CBS, PSP, and AD and healthy controls were obtained from the 4-R-Tauopathy Neuroimaging Initiative 1 and 2, the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and a local cohort from the Toronto Western Hospital. Patients with CBS and PSP were divided into AD-positive (CBS/PSP-AD) and AD-negative (CBS/PSP-noAD) groups based on fluid biomarkers and amyloid PET scans. Cognitive, motor, and depression scores; AD fluid biomarkers (cerebrospinal p-tau, t-tau, and amyloid-beta, and plasma ptau-217); and neuroimaging data (amyloid PET, MRI and fMRI) were collected. Clinical features, whole-brain gray matter volume and functional networks connectivity were compared across groups. Data were analyzed from 87 CBS/PSP-noAD and 23 CBS/PSP-AD, 18 AD, and 30 healthy controls. CBS/PSP-noAD showed worse performance in comparison to CBS/PSP-AD in the PSPRS [mean(SD): 34.8(15.8) vs 23.3(11.6)] and the UPDRS scores [mean(SD): 34.2(17.0) vs 21.8(13.3)]. CBS/PSP-AD demonstrated atrophy in AD signature areas and brainstem, while CBS/PSP-noAD patients displayed atrophy in frontal and temporal areas, globus pallidus, and brainstem compared to healthy controls. The default mode network showed greatest disconnection in CBS/PSP-AD compared with CBS/PSP-no AD and controls. The thalamic network connectivity was most affected in CBS/PSP-noAD. AD biomarker positivity may modulate the clinical presentation of CBS/PSP, with evidence of distinctive structural and functional brain changes associated with the AD pathology/co-pathology. ANN NEUROL 2024;96:99-109.

Abstract 1463: Characterizing inflammation-induced epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations driving NSCLC using lung organoid models

Abstract Chronic inflammation is a major driver of lung cancer and contributes to its pathogenesis by inducing genetic and epigenetic alterations. These, in turn, modulate the microenvironment to facilitate emergence of tumor promoting immune evasive mechanisms. The evolution of epigenetic events and their role, both alone, and in association with lung cancer specific genetic drivers in initiation of lung cancer is not well delineated. Specific pathological subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have distinct cells of origin, suggestive of cell type-specific changes in driving their development. We employed lung organoid models with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) to elucidate sequential, cell type-specific epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations and their role in co-operating with genetic events to drive development of NSCLC. We examined epigenomic and transcriptomic alterations over a 6-month exposure period by DNA methylation arrays, ATAC-seq, and RNA-seq. We observe that CSC exposure causes distinct morphological changes in organoid structure and composition, accompanied by an increase in proliferative potential. Using flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining approaches, we demonstrate a chronic inflammation-driven shift in stem cell populations accompanied by reduction in differentiated cell types. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing approaches identified distinct temporal changes in transcriptional signatures in CSC exposed organoids suggestive of evolution of an immune evasive and pro-tumorigenic phenotype. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed a downregulation of interferon signaling and upregulation of Myc targets and oxidative phosphorylation pathways in CSC treated organoids. Notably, co-culturing organoids with key immune cell populations, demonstrate the ability of the CSC exposed organoids to modulate shifts in immune cells from a pro- to anti- inflammatory state. In accordance with this shift in immune cell phenotype, CSC treated organoids secreted decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines as measured by multiplex ELISA assays. Genome wide DNA methylation analysis reveal that CSC methylated genes were associated with differentiation and cell fate commitment as well as transcription factor activity. Finally, we demonstrate that introduction of key NSCLC-specific driver events at the 6-month time point sensitize only CSC treated organoids to tumor formation in vivo, leading to the development of distinct genetic driver-specific subtypes of NSCLC. Altogether, our results demonstrate the ability of chronic inflammation to drive key cell type-specific transcriptomic and epigenetic changes leading to the development of distinct subtypes of NSCLC. Our findings will help identify molecular correlates for early detection and aid development of novel therapeutic strategies for disease interception. Citation Format: Na Wang, Kara Lombardo, Raksha Padaki, Ray-Whay Chiu Yen, Malcolm V. Brock, Leslie Cope, Hariharan Easwaran, Stephen B. Baylin, Michelle Vaz. Characterizing inflammation-induced epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations driving NSCLC using lung organoid models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1463.

Comparative Analysis of Room Temperature Structures Determined by Macromolecular and Serial Crystallography

Temperature directly influences the function and structure of proteins. Crystal structures determined at room temperature offer more biologically relevant structural information regarding flexibility, rigidity, and thermal motion than those determined by conventional cryocrystallography. Crystal structures can be determined at room temperature using conventional macromolecular crystallography (MX) or serial crystallography (SX) techniques. Among these, MX may theoretically be affected by radiation damage or X-ray heating, potentially resulting in differences between the room temperature structures determined by MX and SX, but this has not been fully elucidated. In this study, the room temperature structure of xylanase GH11 from Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum was determined by MX (RT-TsaGH11-MX). The RT-TsaGH11-MX exhibited both the open and closed conformations of the substrate-binding cleft within the β-sandwich fold. The RT-TsaGH11-MX showed distinct structural changes and molecular flexibility when compared with the RT-TsaGH11 determined via serial synchrotron crystallography. The notable molecular conformation and flexibility of the RT-TsaGH11-MX may be induced by radiation damage and X-ray heating. These findings will broaden our understanding of the potential limitations of room temperature structures determined by MX.

Unraveling the Nano-Bio Interface Interactions of a Lipase Adsorbed on Gold Nanoparticles under Laser Excitation.

The complex nature and structure of biomolecules and nanoparticles and their interactions make it challenging to achieve a deeper understanding of the dynamics at the nano-bio interface of enzymes and plasmonic nanoparticles subjected to light excitation. In this study, circular dichroism (CD) and Raman spectroscopic experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to investigate the potential changes at the nano-bio interface upon plasmonic excitation. Our data showed that photothermal and thermal heating induced distinct changes in the secondary structure of a model nanobioconjugate composed of lipase fromCandida antarcticafraction B (CALB) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The use of a green laser led to a substantial decrease in the α-helix content of the lipase from 66% to 13% and an increase in the β-sheet content from 5% to 31% compared to the initial conformation of the nanobioconjugate. In contrast, the differences under similar thermal heating conditions were only 55% and 11%, respectively. This study revealed important differences related to the enzyme secondary structure, enzyme-nanoparticle interactions, and the stability of the enzyme catalytic triad (Ser105-Asp187-His224), influenced by the instantaneous local temperature increase generated from photothermal heating compared to the slower rate of thermal heating of the bulk. These results provide valuable insights into the interactions between biomolecules and plasmonic nanoparticles induced by photothermal heating, advancing plasmonic biocatalysis and related fields.

Phosphorus recycling mediated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from eutrophic biochar

Present study focused on Phosphorus (P) enriched i.e., eutrophic biochar and its solubilization utilizing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (NCIM 8650). Previously established processes for lesser toxic and P rich biochar production (T-B-400, T-B-600 and T-B-800) using phosphogypsum pond wastewater soaked banana peduncles at three different pyrolysis temperatures (400, 600 and 800 °C) were utilized for the experiments. Bacteria inoculated in biochar loaded Pikovskaya (PVK) broth (modified: 0.2 g biochar/100 ml) was analyzed for 15 days about P solubilization along with control (modified broth without Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Gradual increase of P solubilization was observed with maximum values for T-B-400 and T-B-600 on 9th day in variation to 11th day of T-B-800. Different organic acids (Carbamic, Propanoic and Stearic hydrazide) ascertained through GCMS analysis along with significant pH change (7 to 3.41, 4.1 and 3.26 for T-B-400, T-B-600 and T-B-800 respectively) played major role toward P solubilization of modified PVK broth and highlighted significantly (p < 0.05) high release of P from T-B-400 (76%) than T-B-600 (65%) and T-B-800 (71%) over control. The FE-SEM, FTIR and XRD analysis (9th day: T-B-400/T-B-600; 11th day: T-B-800) of biochar residues in modified broth showed distinct morphological, structural and mineralogical changes in comparison to control. The findings highlights the potential of P solubilization by Pseudomonas aeruginosa from euthophic biochar, and hence provide opportunities for nutrients recovery from wastes.

Diagnostic efficacy of metaepiphyseal osteomyelitis in young children: a prospective study

INTRODUCTION: Modern and effective diagnosis of osteomyelitis is the basis for successful therapy; at the same time the problem of establishing this pathology, especially in the early stages of the development of the process, has not been completely resolved.OBJECTIVE: To develop of ultrasound imaging of metaepiphyseal osteomyelitis in young children, depending on the duration of the disease.MATERIAL AND METHODS: 108 children (boys — 65% (70/108), girls — 35 (38/108)) from 1 month to 2 years were examined. Children's age from 2 up to 8 months — 57% (62/108), newborns — 26% (27/108). The age of other children: 12% (13/108) — 9–12 months, 5% (6/108) — 1– 2 years. All children underwent x-ray and ultrasound study. The diagnosis of osteomyelitis was verified by joint puncture (n=102), bone puncture (n=57), drainage of periarticular phlegmon (n=12).Statistics: processing of the study results was carried out using the Statistica 13.0 application package (TIBCO Software Inc, 2017). To assess the effectiveness of ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis, the diagnostic effectiveness and predictive value of positive or negative results were calculated, and the likelihood ratio was calculated.RESULTS: 3 groups were identified depending on the duration of the disease at the time of admission to the hospital: Ia — 1–3 days, Ib — 4–7 days, Group II — 8–14 days, Group III — 15–21 days from the onset of the disease. DE indicators for patients of group Ia: sensitivity — 81.8%, specificity — 60.0%, accuracy — 75%, PV(+)=81.82%; PV(–)=60.00%; OR=4.50. DE indicators for patients in group Ib: sensitivity — 86.6%, specificity — 66.6%, accuracy — 80.95%, PV(+)=87.5%; PV(–)=60.0%; OR=7.00. DE indicators for patients in group II: sensitivity — 92.98%, specificity — 80.0%, accuracy — 93.44%, PV(+)=98.15%; PV(–)=57.14%; OR=37.86. DE indicators for patients of group III: sensitivity — 91.66%, specificity — 91.0%, accuracy — 91.66%, PV(+)=100.0%.DISCUSSION: Ultrasound imaging of acute osteomyelitis in children of group Ia included nonspecific changes in periarticular tissues and had the lowest diagnostic accuracy (75%). Diagnostic accuracy increased in group Ib to 85% due to initial structural changes in the zone of preliminary calcification and hyaline cartilage of the epiphysis. Disease progression in group II was characterized by more distinct structural changes in the metaphysis with an increase in diagnostic accuracy to 93%. In patients of group III, the highest rates of diagnostic accuracy (91.67%) were obtained due to visualization of destructive changes in the epiphysis, metaphysis and zone of preliminary calcification.CONCLUSION: The ability to detect ultrasound signs of acute hematogenous metaepiphyseal osteomyelitis in children will allow the use of this method in the early diagnosis for the timely selection of an adequate treatment tactics.

Versatile Spectroscopic Cell for Operando Studies in Heterogeneous Catalysis Using Tender X‐ray Spectroscopy in Fluorescence Mode

AbstractThe design and commissioning of a cell suitable for operando studies using high‐energy‐resolution fluorescence‐detected X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (HERFD‐XANES) spectroscopy in the tender X‐ray regime is reported. The cell is optimized for measurements within the energy range of 1.5 keV to 4.5 keV. It has a plug‐flow geometry and can be used for sieved powder samples, analogous to reactors employed for laboratory tests. The functionality of the spectroscopic cell is demonstrated in the area of emission control using CO oxidation as target reaction over 1 wt.% Rh/γ‐Al2O3 as catalyst. We show how HERFD‐XANES at the Rh L3‐edge captures variations in the noble metal structure resulting from the interaction with the support material and reactant molecules. Moreover, distinct structural changes were identified along the catalyst bed as a function of temperature and local gas mixture.

Comparative analysis of the effects of cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone on intestinal immunity and microbiota in delayed hypersensitivity mice.

The T cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response is critical for elucidating cellular immune mechanisms, especially the role of memory T cells upon antigen re-exposure. This study aimed to investigate the specific effects of the immunosuppressive drugs Cyclophosphamide (CY) and Dexamethasone (DEX) on intestinal immunity and microbiota in a DTH mouse model, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of their immunomodulatory mechanisms. Female BALB/c mice were sensitized to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and randomly allocated into control, CY, and DEX groups. The impact of CY and DEX on immune function was assessed through measurement of thymus and spleen indices, lymphocyte proliferation in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) using MTT assay, and flow cytometric analysis of T cell subsets and TCR expression. Intestinal secretory IgA (sIgA) was quantified by ELISA, and gut microbiota diversity was evaluated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. CY and DEX significantly reduced the immune function in DNFB-induced sensitized mice, as indicated by decreased thymus and spleen indices, MLN enlargement, intestinal sIgA content, and ear swelling degree. Flow cytometry revealed that CY increased the proportion of total CD3+ T cells but reduced CD3+CD69+ activated T cells and CD3+TCRγ/δ+ T cells, while DEX increased CD3+CD4+ helper T cells. Both drugs induced distinct changes in gut microbiota diversity and structure, with CY enhancing α diversity and DEX reducing it. The study demonstrates that CY and DEX have distinct regulatory effects on the immune organ index, distribution of T cell subsets, and diversity and structure of gut microbiota on DTH-induced immune responses mice, suggesting their differential influence on intestinal mucosal immunity. These findings have implications for the development of targeted immunotherapies and understanding the interplay between immunosuppressive drugs and gut microbiota.

Super-Resolution Microscopy Unveils Synergistic Structural Changes of Organelles Upon Point Mutation.

Ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), is a widely used chemical mutagen that causes high-frequency germline null mutation by inserting an alkyl group into the nucleotide guanine in eukaryotic cells. The effect of EMS on the dynamics of the aneuploid genome, increased cellular instability, and carcinogenicity in relation to benign and malignant tumors are reported, but the molecular level understanding of morphological changes of higher-order chromatin structure has poorly been understood. This is due to a lack of sufficient resolution in conventional microscopic techniques to see small structures below the diffraction limit. Here, using super-resolution radial fluctuation, a largely fragmented, decompaction, and less dense heterochromatin structure upon EMS treatment to HEK 293A cells without any change in nuclear DNA domains is observed. This result suggests an early stage of carcinogenicity happened due to the point mutation. In addition, the distinct structural changes with an elongated morphology of lysosomes are also observed. On the other hand, fragmented and increased heterogeneous populations with an increased cytoplasmic occupancy of mitochondria are observed.

Dynamic impact of the COVID-19 lockdown intervention policies on network structure of energy futures return connectedness

This work investigates the dynamic impact of COVID-19 lockdown policies, implemented to curb the pandemic's spread, on the structure of the energy futures return connectedness network (EFRCN). Firstly, we measured the connectedness of 20 energy futures return series using the time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) frequency connectedness approach and constructed a directed multi-layer dynamic EFRCN. Secondly, we developed a novel statistical indicator, the ratio of average vertex out-strength to average vertex in-strength, to represent the spillover intensity of a specific network layer. Finally, we utilized the pruned exact linear time (PELT) algorithm to pinpoint structural changepoints of COVID-19 lockdown policies and explored the change in the EFRCN structure before and after these changepoints. The empirical findings demonstrate that the scales of population and gross domestic product (GDP) impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown positively drive the average vertex strength, density, and clustering coefficient of the EFRCN, as well as the return spillover intensity of oil and power futures markets, respectively. Conversely, the regression results exhibit noteworthy negative causal relationships between the scales of population and GDP impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown and the return spillover intensity of coal and natural gas futures markets for non-periodic and short-term networks. Furthermore, the empirical results illustrate distinct structural changes in the evolution of global indicators of the non-periodic and short-term networks at the changepoints of COVID-19 lockdown policies before June 2020. To sum up, COVID-19 lockdown intensification increases the clustering of the EFRCN and significantly enhances the net spillover effects of oil and power futures markets within the EFRCN. Moreover, the changes in COVID-19 lockdown policies significantly influence the EFRCN's structure.