Types Of Granules Research Articles

Starch phosphorylation regulates starch granule morphological homogeneity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Starch granule morphological homogeneity presents a gap in starch research. Transitory starch granules in wild-type plants are discoid, regardless of species. Notably, while the shape of starch granules can differ among mutants, it typically remains homogeneous within a genotype. We found an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant, dpe2sex4, lacking both the cytosolic disproportionating enzyme 2 (DPE2) and glucan phosphatase SEX4, showing an unprecedented bimodal starch granule diameter distribution when grown under a light/dark rhythm. dpe2sex4 contained 2 types of starch granules: large granules and small granules. In contrast to the double starch initiation in wheat (Triticum aestivum) endosperm, where A-type granules are initiated first and B-type granules are initiated later, dpe2sex4 small and large granules developed simultaneously in the same chloroplast. Compared with the large granules, the small granules had more branched amylopectin and less surface starch-phosphate, thus having a more compact structure that may hinder starch synthesis. During plant aging, the small granules barely grew. In in vitro experiments, fewer glucosyl residues were incorporated in small granules. Under continuous light, dpe2sex4 starch granules were morphologically homogeneous. Omitting the dark phase after a 2-wk light/dark cycle by moving plants into continuous light also reduced morphological variance between these 2 types of granules. These data shed light on the impact of starch phosphorylation on starch granule morphology homogeneity.

Characterization of different high amylose starch granules. Part Ⅱ: Structure evolution during digestion and distinct digestion mechanisms

The objective of this research was to unravel the digestion of high amylose (AM) starch (HAS) granules through comparison of digestion of eight different types of HAS granules obtained from maize, potato, wheat, and barley. Unexpectedly, the resistant starch content (RS) of the HAS granules, ranging from 21% to 63%, did not correlate with the apparent AM content (AAC), which ranged from 34% to 97%. Instead, the pivotal factor governing digestibility was identified as the proportion of granules with smooth surfaces, in conjunction with the localized organization related to the arrangement of AM chains. Specifically, HAS granules originating from potato and maize, characterized by predominantly smooth-surfaced granules, as well as a higher double helix and B-type crystalline contents, exhibited higher RS content. Conversely, HAS granules sourced from wheat and barley, distinguished by a prevalence of granules with rough surfaces and high amorphous regions, displayed lower RS content. Furthermore, while potato and maize-derived HAS granules underwent minimal reorganization during digestion, those from wheat and barley underwent substantial molecular realignment. This phenomenon is likely attributed to the enhanced long AM molecules within wheat and barley, resulting in more significant degradation and molecular restructuring during digestion. The reorganized segments demonstrated increased resistance to enzymatic digestion. Thus, this study yields valuable insights into the mechanisms of the resistance of HAS granules to enzymatic digestion, emphasizing that AAC itself, within the range explored, does not emerge as a critical factor affecting their digestibility. The RS of HAS likely encompasses both pre-existing resistant structures and reorganized structures that form during digestion.

Fast calculation for approximations in Dominance-based Rough Set Approach using Dual Information Granule

The Dominance-based Rough Set Approach (DRSA) is an extension of RST, which utilizes the dominance relation in attributes. However, traditional DRSA-based methods do not exploit the properties and logical structure in depth, which causes a high computational cost in lower and upper approximations. Besides, these methods are object-based, leading to repeated calculations from identical instances, and they involve numerous redundant computations to approximate different decisions. Therefore, we propose a novel approach, called DIGAC (Dual Information Granule-based Approximation Calculation), to improve DRSA by replacing the object-based calculation with the granule-based calculation. It effectively reduces the time complexity by constructing a granule-based ordered decision system. Additionally, this novel approach uses three types of Dual Information Granules (DIGs) to avoid repeated calculations from identical samples. In the process of lower and upper approximation, we leverage their transitivity to put forward a Distributed Storage-based Lower Approximation Calculation (DSLAC) strategy and a Query-based Upper Approximation Calculation (QUAC) strategy to eliminate redundant computations. Importantly, we theoretically prove that the DIG-based approach extensively reduces the time complexity of the approximations and obtains the same approximations as the original counterpart. Our approach is investigated on 23 datasets, and the experimental results show that it outperforms existing algorithms in terms of efficiency and stability, especially for large-scale and high-dimensional datasets, where the average decrease in execution time is up to 99%.

Spontaneous Confinement of mRNA Molecules at Biomolecular Condensate Boundaries.

Cellular biomolecular condensates, termed ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules, are often enriched in messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules relative to the surrounding cytoplasm. Yet, the spatial localization and diffusion of mRNAs in close proximity to phase separated RNP granules are not well understood. In this study, we performed single-molecule fluorescence imaging experiments of mRNAs in live cells in the presence of two types of RNP granules, stress granules (SGs) and processing bodies (PBs), which are distinct in their molecular composition and function. We developed a photobleaching- and noise-corrected colocalization imaging algorithm that was employed to determine the accurate positions of individual mRNAs relative to the granule's boundaries. We found that mRNAs are often localized at granule boundaries, an observation consistent with recently published data. We suggest that mRNA molecules become spontaneously confined at the RNP granule boundary similar to the adsorption of polymer molecules at liquid-liquid interfaces, which is observed in various technological and biological processes. We also suggest that this confinement could be due to a combination of intermolecular interactions associated with, first, the screening of a portion of the RNP granule interface by the polymer and, second, electrostatic interactions due to a strong electric field induced by a Donnan potential generated across the thin interface.

Neutrophil biology in injuries and diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

The role of inflammation in nervous system injury and disease is attracting increased attention. Much of that research has focused on microglia in the central nervous system (CNS) and macrophages in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Much less attention has been paid to the roles played by neutrophils. Neutrophils are part of the granulocyte subtype of myeloid cells. These cells, like macrophages, originate and differentiate in the bone marrow from which they enter the circulation. After tissue damage or infection, neutrophils are the first immune cells to infiltrate into tissues and are directed there by specific chemokines, which act on chemokine receptors on neutrophils. We have reviewed here the basic biology of these cells, including their differentiation, the types of granules they contain, the chemokines that act on them, the subpopulations of neutrophils that exist, and their functions. We also discuss tools available for identification and further study of neutrophils. We then turn to a review of what is known about the role of neutrophils in CNS and PNS diseases and injury, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, CNS and PNS axon regeneration, and neuropathic pain. While in the past studies have focused on neutrophils deleterious effects, we will highlight new findings about their benefits. Studies on their actions should lead to identification of ways to modify neutrophil effects to improve health.

Glyceryl Laurate Tablets: Effect of the Excipients and Granule Size on the Tablet Quality

Abstract Glyceryl laurate (GL) is a natural or synthetic surfactant with antiviral and antimicrobial activity and is not only effective in common colds or flu, but also against swine flu, herpes simplex, shingles, or chronic fatigue. The study aimed to formulate the GL granules as a semi-product for the compression of tablets and evaluate the influence of the substitution of sucrose laurate (Ryoto®) with sucrose ester (Sisterna®) in the composition of the granules and the effect of granule size on the quality of the compressed tablets. Four types of granules, varying in grain size and the type of additional surfactant, were prepared by melt granulation. The traditional pharmacopoeia tests were used to assess tablets’ quality. The granule size significantly affected all evaluated parameters: hardness, uniformity of mass, friability, and disintegration. The replacement of sucrose laurate with sucrose ester caused a slight decrease in tablet strength and a shortening of disintegration. However, it did not significantly impact friability and uniformity of mass. For this reason, the excipient, sucrose ester, can be evaluated as an adequate replacement in the composition of GL tablets.

The Influence of Wet Granulation Parameters on the Compaction Behavior and Tablet Strength of a Hydralazine Powder Mixture.

The aim of this paper was to describe the influence of high-shear wet granulation process parameters on tablet tensile strength and compaction behavior of a powder mixture and granules containing hydralazine. The hydralazine powder mixture and eight types of granules were compacted into tablets and evaluated using the Heckel, Kawakita and Adams analyses. The granules were created using two types of granulation liquid (distilled water and aqueous solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone), at different impeller speeds (500 and 700 rpm) and with different wet massing times (without wet massing and for 2 min). Granulation resulted in improved compressibility, reduced dustiness and narrower particle-size distribution. A significant influence of wet massing time on parameters from the Kawakita and Adams analysis was found. Wet massing time had an equally significant effect on tablet tensile strength, regardless of the granulation liquid used. Granules formed with the same wet massing time showed the same trends in tabletability graphs. Tablets created using a single-tablet press (batch compaction) and an eccentric tablet press showed opposite values of tensile strength. Tablets from granules with a higher bulk density showed lower strength during batch compaction and, conversely, higher strength during eccentric tableting.

Physicochemical and microstructural characteristics of Frafra potato (Solenostemon rotundifolius) starch

ABSTRACT Frafra potato (Solenostemon rotundifolius) is an underutilized climate-resilient tuber crop commonly cultivated in the tropics. Different accessions have been identified and bred to broaden its application in food. This study characterized the starches extracted from ten accessions, from Ghana (released) and Burkina Faso (unreleased), in terms of yield, physicochemical, and microstructural characteristics. The starches did not differ significantly (p < .05) in color (L*) and amount (35 to 39% dry matter basis). Furthermore, there were no significant differences (p < .05) among them in amylose/amylopectin ratio, syneresis %, granule types and shapes, except for one of the unreleased accessions (E82), which had a significantly (p < .05) smaller granule size. There were, however, significant differences (p < .05) in paste clarity of the starch gels, ranging from 51 to 63% of the starch gels, as well as in the thermal properties of the starches. The XRD and FTIR spectra showed the starches to be A-type, typical of tuber starches, with relative crystallinities ranging between 30.5 to 33.5%. The ten Frafra potato cultivars were clustered into two groups using PCA procedures; one group (Maa-Lana and Nutsugah) clustering on thermal properties of starch, while the other group (E82, E111, E132, E134, E145, Manga, Naachem-Tiir, and WAAPP) on paste clarity and change in temperature. The variations in granule size and thermal characteristics of the starches could impact the performance, cooking and textural properties, of these Frafra potato accessions in food applications.

A unique mRNA decapping complex in trypanosomes.

Removal of the mRNA 5' cap primes transcripts for degradation and is central for regulating gene expression in eukaryotes. The canonical decapping enzyme Dcp2 is stringently controlled by assembly into a dynamic multi-protein complex together with the 5'-3'exoribonuclease Xrn1. Kinetoplastida lack Dcp2 orthologues but instead rely on the ApaH-like phosphatase ALPH1 for decapping. ALPH1 is composed of a catalytic domain flanked by C- and N-terminal extensions. We show that T. brucei ALPH1 is dimeric in vitro and functions within a complex composed of the trypanosome Xrn1 ortholog XRNA and four proteins unique to Kinetoplastida, including two RNA-binding proteins and a CMGC-family protein kinase. All ALPH1-associated proteins share a unique and dynamic localization to a structure at the posterior pole of the cell, anterior to the microtubule plus ends. XRNA affinity capture in T. cruzi recapitulates this interaction network. The ALPH1 N-terminus is not required for viability in culture, but essential for posterior pole localization. The C-terminus, in contrast, is required for localization to all RNA granule types, as well as for dimerization and interactions with XRNA and the CMGC kinase, suggesting possible regulatory mechanisms. Most significantly, the trypanosome decapping complex has a unique composition, differentiating the process from opisthokonts.

A bending rigidity parameter for stress granule condensates.

Interfacial tension plays an important role in governing the dynamics of droplet coalescence and determining how condensates interact with and deform lipid membranes and biological filaments. We demonstrate that an interfacial tension-only model is inadequate for describing stress granules in live cells. Harnessing a high-throughput flicker spectroscopy pipeline to analyze the shape fluctuations of tens of thousands of stress granules, we find that the measured fluctuation spectra require an additional contribution, which we attribute to elastic bending deformation. We also show that stress granules have an irregular, nonspherical base shape. These results suggest that stress granules are viscoelastic droplets with a structured interface, rather than simple Newtonian liquids. Furthermore, we observe that the measured interfacial tensions and bending rigidities span a range of several orders of magnitude. Hence, different types of stress granules (and more generally, other biomolecular condensates) can only be differentiated via large-scale surveys.

Sound Insertion Loss Performance of Baffles with Devulcanized Waste Rubber

In this study, the insertion loss of devulcanized waste rubber baffles was evaluated. Acoustic baffles are suitable for reducing noise from the devices or machines by interfering with their emitting sound waves. Knowledge of the acoustic properties of the material used is of significant importance in ensuring the effectiveness of the acoustic properties of the baffle. Basic properties include airborne sound insulation, which is usually determined during laboratory testing. Baffle consists of sound absorbing and sound insulating materials. In this study, plasterboards were used as sound insulating material and devulcanized waste rubber as sound absorbing material. Devulcanization targets mostly the scission of sulphur crosslinks. Devulcanization techniques that have been explored in rubber recycling include thermos-chemical, microbiological, ultrasonic microwave thermos-chemical devulcanization in a supercritical carbon dioxide medium (scCO2). In this study, two types of rubber granules were devulcanized by grinding method and one other type was chemically devulcanized. Three types of rubber granules were mixed together in increasing 25 % proportion steps and glued with patented polyurethane glue. Total of 15 different composition devulcanized waste rubber granule boards were made. Rubber boards were attached together with the plasterboards. Insertion loss of the different composite baffles was measured in semi-anechoic chamber in a purposefully designed stand in 1/3rd-octave bands. The results showed that the insertion loss of the baffles depends mostly on the rubber granule board density. Increasing the density of the rubber board, insertion loss also increased. 5–6 dB insertion loss difference was measured between the most and the least dense rubber granule board baffles.

Plasticity of Drosophila germ granules during germ cell development.

Compartmentalization of RNAs and proteins into membraneless structures called granules is a ubiquitous mechanism for organizing and regulating cohorts of RNAs. Germ granules are ribonucleoprotein (RNP) assemblies required for germline development across the animal kingdom, but their regulatory roles in germ cells are not fully understood. We show that after germ cell specification, Drosophila germ granules enlarge through fusion and this growth is accompanied by a shift in function. Whereas germ granules initially protect their constituent mRNAs from degradation, they subsequently target a subset of these mRNAs for degradation while maintaining protection of others. This functional shift occurs through the recruitment of decapping and degradation factors to the germ granules, which is promoted by decapping activators and renders these structures P body-like. Disrupting either the mRNA protection or degradation function results in germ cell migration defects. Our findings reveal plasticity in germ granule function that allows them to be repurposed at different stages of development to ensure population of the gonad by germ cells. Additionally, these results reveal an unexpected level of functional complexity whereby constituent RNAs within the same granule type can be differentially regulated.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL ORTHOPAEDIC BIOMATERIALS LOADED WITH CISPLATIN FOR LOCAL TREATMENT OF BONE TUMOURS

Residual tumor cells left in the bone defect after malignant bone tumor resection can result in local tumor recurrence and high mortality. Therefore, ideal bone filling materials should not only aid bone reconstruction or regeneration, but also exert local chemotherapeutic efficacy. However, common bone substitutes used in clinics are barely studied in research for local delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. Here, we aimed to use facile manufacturing methods to render polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement and ceramic granules suitable for local delivery of cisplatin to limit bone tumor recurrence.Porosity was introduced into PMMA cement by adding 1-4% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) containing cisplatin, and chemotherapeutic activity was rendered to two types of granules via adsorption. Then, mechanical properties, porosity, morphology, drug release kinetics, ex vivo reconstructive properties of porous PMMA and in vitro anti-cancer efficacy against osteosarcoma cells were assessed. Morphologies, molecular structures, drug release profiles and in vitro cytostatic effects of two different drug-loaded granules on the proliferation of metastatic bone tumor cells were investigated.The mechanical strengths of PMMA-based cements were sufficient for tibia reconstruction at CMC contents lower than 4% (≤3%). The concentrations of released cisplatin (12.1% and 16.6% from PMMA with 3% and 4% CMC, respectively) were sufficient for killing of osteosarcoma cells, and the fraction of dead cells increased to 91.3% within 7 days. Functionalized xenogeneic granules released 29.5% of cisplatin, but synthetic CaP granules only released 1.4% of cisplatin over 28 days. The immobilized and released cisplatin retained its anti-cancer efficacy and showed dose-dependent cytostatic effects on the viability of metastatic bone tumor cells.Bone substitutes can be rendered therapeutically active for anticancer efficacy by functionalization with cisplatin. As such, our data suggest that multi-functional PMMA-based cements and cisplatin-loaded granules represent viable treatment options for filling bone defects after bone tumor resection.

In-vitro physicochemical characterization of a novel type of bonedefect-filling granules—BpNcCaP in comparison to deproteinized bovine bone (Bio-Oss®)

As alternatives to autografts, allografts, and xenografts, calcium phosphate (CaP)-based bone-defect-filling materials (e.g., deproteinized bovine bone (DBB, Bio-Oss^®)) are widely used to repair large-volume bone defects (LVBDs) in clinic. However, most of these materials show a very low degradability due to a sintering process in their production. In this study, we synthesized a novel type of granules—biomimetically precipitated nanocrystalline calcium phosphate (BpNcCaP) by developing our previous biomimetic protocol. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of BpNcCaP by assessing the viability of L929 mouse fibroblasts using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. To characterize the physicochemical properties of the novel BpNcCaP granules, we first compared the morphology and composition of BpNcCaP with those of Bio-Oss^® using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). We further compared the surface area, pore size distribution, hydrophilicity behavior, and hardness of BpNcCaP with those of Bio-Oss^® granules using specific surface area, contact angle, and Vickers hardness as parameters, respectively. BpNcCaP showed no obvious cytotoxicity. <i>In-vitro</i> characterization data showed that BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss^® granules were both comprised of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp). The Ca/P ratios of BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss^® calculated from the EDS results were 1.34 and 1.66, respectively. Hence, BpNcCaP and Bio-Oss^® were Ca-deficient HAp. Compared with Bio-Oss^®, synthetic BpNcCaP had better hydrophilicity, higher specific surface area, lower crystallinity, and hardness. These data suggested a good performance of BpNcCaP granules in clinical applications.

Identifikasi Kelimpahan Mikroplastik Sungai Batanghari Wilayah Nipah Panjang Kabupaten Tanjung Jabung Timur

One of the biggest environmental issues today is plastic waste. This waste cannot be avoided and continues to increase which in its decomposition takes 50-100 years and will be fragmented into smaller forms called microplastics. Microplastic measuring &lt; 5 mm with various shapes. The people of the Nipah Panjang area dispose of plastic waste into the Batanghari River which is likely to cause microplastic content. To determine the number of microplastics, it is necessary to identify the abundance of microplastics found in the Nipah Panjang area on the Batanghari River using quantitative methods. The tool used is Planktonet mesh 150 with a diameter of 20 cm. The sampling process was carried out for one day with two samplings, namely in the morning at low tide at 09.00-11.00 WIB and in the afternoon at high tide at 15.00 WIB. The study's results were sampling in the morning at low tide with 327 microplastic particles and the highest in the afternoon at high tide, namely 443 microplastic particles. The temperature in the morning and evening ranges from 29°C - 32°C. The results showed that four types of microplastics were found, namely the type of fiber, filament, fragment, and granule. From the four locations of Sungai Air samples, the most microplastic fragments were found with a total of 353 particles, the second most were filament types with a capacity of 191 particles, the third type of fiber with a total of 186 particles, and the least types of granules with a total of 40 particles. Microplastic at low tide is lower than at high tide. The abundance of microplastics from the four sampling locations of river water is 25,666.67 particles/m3.

Microplastic Contamination in Marine Fish and Shells in the Coastal Areas of Jember Regency, Indonesia

Highlight Research Fish and shellfish on the coast of Payangan and Puger Several types of microplastics were detected in their gastrointestinal tract There were microplastic types of fiber, fragments, granules, and filaments Abstract Every year, it is estimated that the Indonesian seas receive 100,000-400,000 tons of plastic waste used for human consumption. Indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste will have an impact in the future. The problem of microplastics is an illustration that the use of plastic in daily activities will cause environmental ecological damage. The purpose of the study was to describe microplastic contamination in marine fish and shells in the coastal areas of Jember Regency, Indonesia. The method used is to detect and identify the type and numbers of microplastic particles in the gastrointestinal tract content of sea fish and shells obtained from fishermen around Payangan and Puger coastal Jember, Indonesia. The gastrointestinal tract was extracted with peroxide oxidation method (WPO). A light microscope was used to examine microplastic particles of types and numbers. The results showed that marine fish and shells in the coastal area of Jember Regency, Indonesia have been contaminated with microplastic. The microplastic in each marine fish and shells sample has a different type. There were microplastic types of fiber, fragments, granules, and filaments in the shells sample, while in the marine fish samples, there were all these types except granules. Fish and shellfish on the coast of Payangan and Puger had several types of microplastics detected in their gastrointestinal tract.

Photo-crosslinkable biodegradable polymer coating to control fertilizer release

A photo-crosslinkable biodegradable polymer based on a poly(ɛ-caprolactone) backbone was herein developed to enhance the efficiency of nitrogen uptake from fertilizers. To this end, ammonium and calcium nitrate fertilizers were coated with photo-crosslinkable acrylate-endcapped urethane-based poly(ɛ-caprolactone) through fluidized bed technology. We hypothesized that the coating would enable to control the release time of nitrogen species from the granules for 1-3 months. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to monitor the reaction progress while chemical structure verification of the acrylate-endcapped urethane-based poly(ɛ-caprolactone) was executed via 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The physical properties and crosslinking efficiency of the coating material were determined through rheological measurements, gel fraction determination and thermogravimetric analysis before and after crosslinking. The data showed that the optimal fluidized bed processing temperature was 29°C. Scanning electron microscopy allowed to evaluate both the coating application and final coating thickness onto the polymer coated fertilizer granules. Three different coating thicknesses were applied onto each granule type. The polymer coated fertilizers were evaluated for their nitrate and ammonium release properties in sand substrate columns on laboratory scale. Osmocote bloom was used as reference throughout the experiments. The resulting cumulative release curves were fitted to a normalized non-linear regression with variable slope and the release was found to be based on a diffusion mechanism. Nitrogen release dynamics were primarily controlled by the thickness of the coating layer. The longest release times were observed for the ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate granules with thickest coating layers (105 ± 10 μm and 148 ± 12 μm, respectively); 75 % nitrate was released after 75 - 77 and 74 - 75 days, respectively. The release was shown to be in line with the target release time of a commercial fertilizer included as benchmark throughout the release study. The herein developed polymer can be considered promising to serve as coating material for controlled release fertilizer development because of its benefits as compared to Osmocote (i.e., single coating application possible, biodegradable coating, no additional toxic components or solvents and room temperature processing).

Neutrophils drive pulmonary vascular leakage in MHV-1 infection of susceptible A/J mice.

Lung inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, and pulmonary vascular leakage are pathological hallmarks of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) which can lethally complicate respiratory viral infections. Despite similar comorbidities, however, infections in some patients may be asymptomatic while others develop ARDS as seen with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections for example. In this study, we infected resistant C57BL/6 and susceptible A/J strains of mice with pulmonary administration of murine hepatitis virus strain 1 (MHV-1) to determine mechanisms underlying susceptibility to pulmonary vascular leakage in a respiratory coronavirus infection model. A/J animals displayed increased lung injury parameters, pulmonary neutrophil influx, and deficient recruitment of other leukocytes early in the infection. Moreover, under basal conditions, A/J neutrophils overexpressed primary granule protein genes for myeloperoxidase and multiple serine proteases. During infection, myeloperoxidase and elastase protein were released in the bronchoalveolar spaces at higher concentrations compared to C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, genes from other granule types were not differentially expressed between these 2 strains. We found that depletion of neutrophils led to mitigation of lung injury in infected A/J mice while having no effect in the C57BL/6 mice, demonstrating that an altered neutrophil phenotype and recruitment profile is a major driver of lung immunopathology in susceptible mice. These results suggest that host susceptibility to pulmonary coronaviral infections may be governed in part by underlying differences in neutrophil phenotypes, which can vary between mice strains, through mechanisms involving primary granule proteins as mediators of neutrophil-driven lung injury.

The Oxygenic Photogranules—Current Progress on the Technology and Perspectives in Wastewater Treatment: A Review

Wastewater generation is a worldwide problem, and its treatment is an important practice for maintaining public health and environmental protection. Oxygenic photogranules (OPGs) are a relatively novel type of biogranules that have the potential to substitute the conventional activated sludge (AS) process due to the production of in situ oxygen, better physical properties such as settling velocity and density, as well as carbon and nutrient removal efficiencies. The formation of the granules is attributed to many factors, among which the most influential are light intensity, ammonium nitrogen concentration, and the presence of filamentous cyanobacteria that, along with heterotrophic microorganisms situated in the granule’s core, create a self-sustainable system that combines denitrification, carbon removal, and oxygen production. Hydrostatic and hydrodynamic cultivations are two ways that allow for obtaining OPGs. These two cultivation methods lead to the formation of various types of granules which differ in both structures as well as physical properties. This review article aims to aggregate the available literature information regarding the methods of cultivation of OPGs, their formation mechanisms, and factors that influence the cultivation as well as an overview of studies that were conducted thus far concerning this type of biogranules. Additionally, further research directions are proposed in the article.

Light Microscopy and Ultrastructure of Body Wall in Leech Haemadipsa zeylanica.

Leeches are widely distributed worldwide in a diversity of habitats, such as freshwater, seas, desert, and oases. Since literature does not have an elaborate study on histology of leeches, thus emphasis is given to study the histology. The aim of this study is to examine the histology of free-living leeches Haemadipsa zeylanica under light microscopy and extended to ultrastructural study under transmission electron microscopy. Tissue was fixed in 10% formalin, dehydrated with alcohol, infiltrated and embedded in wax, and thin section was cut using a rotary microtome. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The epithelial layer of cells in H. zeylanica had a thin layer of cuticles covering it. In light microscopy, the epidermis has three types of epidermal cells, namely, glandular cells (Type I, Type II, and Type III), supporting cells (Type IV), and pigment cells (Type V). When the three glandular cells of the body wall of H. zeylanica epidermis were examined under an electron microscope, three types of distinct electron-dense granules were identified. Type I cells with granules, Type II cells with course granules close to the dermis were identified as pear-shaped secretory cells, and Type III cells with electron-dense granules.