Lumen Space Research Articles

Establishment of goat mammary organoid cultures modeling the mammary gland development and lactation.

Although several cell culture systems have been developed to investigate the function of the mammary gland in dairy livestock, they have potential limitations, such as the loss of alveolar structure or genetic and phenotypic differences from their native counterparts. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for lactation research. Development of protocols to establish lactating organoid of livestock represents a promising goal for the future. In this study, we developed a protocol to establish a culture system for mammary organoids in dairy goats to model the mammary gland development and lactation process. The organoids cultured within an extracellular matrix gel maintained a bilayer structure that closely resembled the native architecture of mammary tissue. The expansion of mammary organoids was significantly promoted by growth factors containing epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor 2 whereas the proliferative index of the organoids was significantly inhibited by the treatment with WNT inhibitors. Upon stimulation with a lactogenic medium containing prolactin, the mammary organoids exhibited efficient lactation, characterized by the accumulation of lipid droplets in the lumen space. The lactation could be sustained for more than 3 weeks. Importantly, the expression patterns of genes related to fatty acid synthesis and milk proteins in lactating organoids closely mirrored those observed in mammary tissues. These observations were confirmed by data from proteomic analysis that the bulk of milk proteins was produced in the lactating organoids. This study is the first to establish a mammary organoid culture system modeling the mammary gland development and lactation process in ruminants. The efficient induction of lactation in ruminant mammary organoids holds promises for advancing the field of cell-based milk bio-manufacture in the food industry.

Beneficial effects of Anemone palmata extracts on male rabbit fertility and reproduction

Abstract Objective: The current study is intended to offer an insight on positive benefits of the herb Anemone palmate belonging to Ranunculaceae family, as an enhancing agent of male rabbit’s fertility. Methods: Twelve male rabbits, in the growth stage, were divided randomly into four equal groups: one serving as the control and three subjected to different treatments. Anemone palmata extracts (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) were administered orally to the groups. Blood samples were collected to measure the serum levels of testosterone four weeks later. The weight of the testis and epididymis, sperm count, and sperm motility were determined histologically. Results: The findings revealed a significant increase in the relative weights of the reproductive organs (testis and epididymis) and plasma testosterone levels in the groups that received the 100 and 200 mg/kg doses. Moreover a notable enhancement in the spermatozoa biology, including concentration, motility, and speed, was observed in the groups treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg doses compared to the control and the group treated with 50mg/kg. The histological study revealed some changes in the spermatogenesis and the structure of the organs, involving the presence of the spermatid phase. A significant increase in the thickness of seminiferous walls, a decrease in the interstitial space, and a reduction in the lumen and intra-tubular spaces were observed as well. Conclusions: it is well indicated that Anemone palmata could improve fertility factors, and exhibit good effects on gonad and sperm parameters in rabbits.

Evaluation of the chronic toxicity of bisphenol A and bisphenol AF to sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus after long-term single and combined exposure at environmental relevant concentration

Bisphenols are emerging endocrine disrupting pollutant, and several studies have reported that they are already ubiquitous in various environmental matrices and intend to deposit in sediment. The primary sources of bisphenols are river and sewage discharge. Sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), a typical deposit feeder, is one of the most important commercial marine species in Aisa. However, the effects of the bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues bisphenol AF (BPAF) on sea cucumber was unclear. In this study, we carried out field survey in major sea cucumber farming areas in northern China, with the aim of determining which bisphenol analogue is the major bisphenol contamination in this aquaculture area. The results showed that the presence of BPAF was detected in four sampling sites (Dalian, Tangshan, Laizhou, and Longpan). The mean level of BPAF in Laizhou sediment samples was the highest which reached to 9.007 ± 4.702 μ g/kg. Among the seawater samples, the BPAF only have been detected in the samples collected at Longpan. (0.011 ± 0.003 μ g/L). Furthermore, we conducted an experiment to evaluate the single and combined toxicity of BPA and BPAF on sea cucumbers. The concentrations were informed by the findings based on the results of field research. (0.1, 1.0, and 10 μ g/L). After exposure, the body weight gain, and specific growth rate showed no significant changes (P > 0.05). We observed the histological alterations in respiratory tree of treated sea cucumbers including the fusion and detachment of lining epithelial tissue, and increase of lumen space. However, the catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) activity was not significantly changed (P > 0.05). We evaluated the effects of BPA and BPAF through calculating the integrated biomarker response index (IBR), and the results indicated that the toxicity of combined treatment was higher than single treatment. Additionally, BPAF exposure to A. japonicus was more toxic than BPA.

Correlation of light and electron microscopic morphometric parameters of glomerular capillaries with serum creatinine and proteinuria

ABSTRACT Waste products in the bloodstream are filtered by the glomerular capillaries in the kidneys and excreted into the urine. When making a differential diagnosis of kidney diseases, structural assessment of glomeruli using histological, ultrastructural, and immunological studies is crucial. This study assessed the microscopic and ultrastructural morphometric parameters of glomerular capillaries and examined their correlation with serum creatinine and proteinuria. A total of 60 kidney biopsy cases received by the transmission electron microscope (TEM) laboratory for diagnosis were included in the study. Toluidine blue stained 300 nm thick sections of TEM tissue blocks were scanned for glomerular morphometry by a whole slide imaging system, and the estimation of Bowman’s capsule (BC) area, glomerular capillary lumen diameter (GCLD), glomerular capillary density (GCD), glomerular capillary surface area density (GCSA), and percentage of glomerular capillary lumen space (%GCLS) was performed with QuPath software. TEM images of 70 nm thick sections were used for the evaluation of endothelial fenestration diameter (EFD), glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickness, and podocyte foot process (PFP) effacement. Proteinuria and serum creatinine showed positive correlations with GBM thickness and PFP effacement. Negative correlations of serum creatinine were observed with EFD, %GCLS, and GCSA. Hence, glomerular filtration is greatly affected by the total area of the glomerular capillary surface and structural changes of GBM. Reduction of glomerulus filtration due to foot process effacement and thickening of GBM results in damage to the filtration barrier leading to the leakage of plasma protein into urine.

Transcatheter electrosurgical septotomy technique for chronic postdissection aortic aneurysms

Aortic dissection often results in chronic aneurysmal degeneration due to progressive false lumen expansion. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair and other techniques of vessel incorporation such as fenestrated-branched or parallel grafts have been increasingly used to treat chronic postdissection aneurysms. True lumen compression or a vessel origin from the false lumen can present considerable technical challenges. In these cases, the limited true lumen space can result in inadequate stent graft expansion or restrict the ability to reposition the device or manipulate catheters. Reentrance techniques can be used selectively to assist with target vessel catheterization. Transcatheter electrosurgical septotomy is a novel technique that has evolved from the cardiology experience with transseptal or transcatheter aortic valve procedures. This technique has been applied in select patients with chronic dissection to create a proximal or distal landing zone, disrupt the septum in patients with an excessively compressed true lumen, or connect the true and false lumen in patients with vessels that have separate origins. In the present report, we summarize the indications and technical pitfalls of transcatheter electrosurgical septotomy in patients treated by endovascular repair for chronic postdissection aortic aneurysms.

Acceleration of the Development of Microcirculation Embolism in the Brain due to Capillary Narrowing.

Cerebral microvascular obstruction is critically involved in recurrent stroke and decreased cerebral blood flow with age. The obstruction must occur in the capillary with a greater resistance to perfusion pressure through the microvascular networks. However, little is known about the relationship between capillary size and embolism formation. This study aimed to determine whether the capillary lumen space contributes to the development of microcirculation embolism. To spatiotemporally manipulate capillary diameters in vivo, transgenic mice expressing the light-gated cation channel protein ChR2 (channelrhodopsin-2) in mural cells were used. The spatiotemporal changes in the regional cerebral blood flow in response to the photoactivation of ChR2 mural cells were first characterized using laser speckle flowgraphy. Capillary responses to optimized photostimulation were then examined in vivo using 2-photon microscopy. Finally, microcirculation embolism due to intravenously injected fluorescent microbeads was compared under conditions with or without photoactivation of ChR2 mural cells. Following transcranial photostimulation, the stimulation intensity-dependent decrease in cerebral blood flow centered at the irradiation was observed (14%-49% decreases relative to the baseline). The cerebrovascular response to photostimulation showed significant constriction of the cerebral arteries and capillaries but not of the veins. As a result of vasoconstriction, a temporal stall of red blood cell flow occurred in the capillaries of the venous sides. The 2-photon excitation of a single ChR2 pericyte demonstrated the partial shrinkage of capillaries (7% relative to the baseline) around the stimulated cell. With the intravenous injection of microbeads, the occurrence of microcirculation embolism was significantly enhanced (11% increases compared to the control) with photostimulation. Capillary narrowing increases the risk of developing microcirculation embolism in the venous sides of the cerebral capillaries.

Effect of UV Irradiation of Pre-Gel Solutions on the Formation of Collagen Gel Tubes

Hollow collagen gels are promising materials for drug/cell delivery systems to promote tissue regeneration because they may be able to function as carriers for these types of loads. Controlling the cavity size and swelling suppression is essential to expand the applications and improve the usability of such gel-like systems. We investigated the effects of UV-treated collagen solutions as a pre-gel aqueous mixture on the formation and properties of the hollow collagen gels in terms of their preparation range limits, morphology, and swelling ratio. The UV treatment thickened the pre-gel solutions, which allowed hollowing at lower collagen concentrations. This treatment also prevents the over-swelling of the hollow collagen rods in PBS buffer solutions. The UV-treated collagen solutions provided a large lumen space in the prepared collagen hollow fiber rods with a limited swelling ratio, allowing vascular endothelial cells and ectodermal cells to be cultured separately in the outer and inner lumen.

Histopathological profiles of Albino rats induced with Viscum album leaf and stem aqueous extracts

Background: Viscum album is a hemiparasitic shrub that grows on various tree species and contains diverse active substances. Objectives: The histopathology of the toxic effects of Viscum album leaf and stem aqueous extracts from host plants Azadirachta indica (neem), Psidium guajava (guava), and Acacia albida on organs of albino rats was evaluated. Methodology: Thirty-five (35) albino rats divided into 7 groups (A-G) of 5 albino rats each was exposed to graded doses of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400mg/kg using the intraperitoneal route. The experimental rats were observed for 24 hours and subsequently sacrificed and their organs including liver, kidney, lungs, and heart were subjected to histopathology for any ultra-structural changes. Results: The histopathological findings indicate that the liver had vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes and congestion of sinusoids for 800mg/kg of Viscum album (Azadirachta indica: neem) stem extract, and widespread vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes at 3200mg/kg for Viscum album (Acacia albida) stem extract. The kidneys had congestion, tubular necrosis with deposition of hyaline materials in the intratubular lumen and capsular space of the glomerulus, and glomerular atrophy at 400mg/kg of Viscum album (Psidium guajava: guava) leaf extract, but indicated marked congestion, and tubular necrosis with 3200mg/kg of Viscum album (Psidium guajava: guava) stem. The lungs had marked thickening of the interstitium by edema fluid, red blood, and mononuclear cell infiltration at 3200mg/kg of Viscum album (Acacia albida) leaf extract. The heart had multifocal areas of mild necrosis of the myocytes with 3200mg/kg Viscum album (Azadirachta indica: neem) leaf extract, and multifocal areas of moderate haemorrhages with 3200mg/kg Viscum album (Psidium guajava: guava) leaf extract. Conclusion: Aqueous extracts of Viscum album in this study had bioactive components that could be toxic.

SproutAngio: an open-source bioimage informatics tool for quantitative analysis of sprouting angiogenesis and lumen space

Three-dimensional image analyses are required to improve the understanding of the regulation of blood vessel formation and heterogeneity. Currently, quantitation of 3D endothelial structures or vessel branches is often based on 2D projections of the images losing their volumetric information. Here, we developed SproutAngio, a Python-based open-source tool, for fully automated 3D segmentation and analysis of endothelial lumen space and sprout morphology. To test the SproutAngio, we produced a publicly available in vitro fibrin bead assay dataset with a gradually increasing VEGF-A concentration (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7240927). We demonstrate that our automated segmentation and sprout morphology analysis, including sprout number, length, and nuclei number, outperform the widely used ImageJ plugin. We also show that SproutAngio allows a more detailed and automated analysis of the mouse retinal vasculature in comparison to the commonly used radial expansion measurement. In addition, we provide two novel methods for automated analysis of endothelial lumen space: (1) width measurement from tip, stalk and root segments of the sprouts and (2) paired nuclei distance analysis. We show that these automated methods provided important additional information on the endothelial cell organization in the sprouts. The pipelines and source code of SproutAngio are publicly available (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7381732).

Photoactive nano-confined Pt in titania nanotubes (Pt-TiNT) via microwave-assisted flow synthesis

Pt-TiNT with PtO nanoparticles dispersed within the lumen and interlayer spaces of titania nanotubes (TiNT) were prepared by a new process involving titanate nanosheets (TiNS) synthesis in an optimized microwave-assisted flow reactor, followed by ion-exchange with a Pt precursor, before triggering the titanate layer rolling to trap the Pt precursor clusters inside the titania nanotubes, followed by a thermal treatment. TEM, XRD, and Raman analyses confirm the total conversion of TiO2 into TiNS in 15 min at 120 °C and 4 bar, and the TiNS transformation into 181 nm-long TiNT with 10 and 6 nm outer and inner diameter, respectively. The 2% Pt-TiNT comprises 0.7 nm PtO clusters (according to XPS), causing slight distortions of the interlayer spaces, while a few larger 2–3 nm Pt clusters reside within the lumen. As a result, Pt-TiNT is 14-fold more active than TiNT for visible light (400–780 nm) photocatalytic oxidation of diclofenac under 2136 μW·cm−2 irradiation, and>1000-fold better than the uncatalyzed photoconversion reaction under 100 mW·cm−2 artificial solar lighting. In addition, nano-confinement of PtO clusters narrowed the bandgap of the TiNT, which, combined with its excellent absorptivity to harvest light, allowed a broader spectral range of photon energies to activate the photocatalyst.

Ameliorative role of dietary acidifier potassium formate on growth metrics, blood chemistry, gut health and well-being indices of rohu, Labeo rohita fingerlings.

Organic acids and their derivatives have been attributed to growth and well-being improvement in fish when supplemented in their diets. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative role of potassium formate (PF) in rohu Labeo rohita fingerlings. A total of 240 healthy rohu fingerlings (9.0 ± 0.5 g ± SE) were randomly divided into four equal groups in triplicates. Fish were fed with isonitrogenous feeds: PF10 (10 g PF/kg), PF20 (20 g PF/kg) and PF30 (30 g PF/kg). Feed without PF supplementation served as control. The results indicated that the specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in PF10. Total serum globulin content was found significantly (p<0.05) elevated in PF10 after the bacterial challenge. Non-specific lysozyme activity was significantly higher (p<0.05) after the challenge. The digestive protease enzyme activity was significantly (p<0.05) improved in PF10 treatment. Additionally, the digestive morphology of the treated fish was seen to be improved. Greater villus area, increased villus number, reduced lumen space in the hindgut, reduced vacuolation in mucosal folds and proliferation of goblet cells-like changes were observed in the PF-supplemented fish. Significantly (p<0.05), a higher relative percentage of survival (RPS) was observed in PF10 and PF20 treatments. The study revealed that the dietary supplementation of rohu fingerlings with lower levels of potassium formate could enhance the nutritional efficiency and physiological activities of rohu fingerlings. This study serves as a baseline for future research on the application of formic acid derivatives and other acidifiers in carp culture.

Multiplexed Phagosomal Assays for the Detection and Quantification of Bidirectional Exchange Between the Phagolysosomal Lumen and Extracellular Space.

The phagolysosome is an antimicrobial and degradative organelle that plays a key role in macrophage-mediated inflammation and homeostasis. Before being presented to the adaptive immune system, phagocytosed proteins must first be processed into immunostimulatory antigens. Until recently, little attention has been given to how other processed PAMPs and DAMPs can stimulate an immune response if they are sequestered in the phagolysosome. Eructophagy is a newly described process in macrophages that releases partially digested immunostimulatory PAMPs and DAMPs extracellularly from the mature phagolysosome to activate vicinal leukocytes. This chapter outlines approaches to observe and quantify eructophagy by simultaneously measuring several phagosomal parameters of individual phagosomes. These methods use specifically designed experimental particles capable of conjugating to multiple reporter/reference fluors in combination with real-time automated fluorescent microscopy. Through the use of high-content image analysis software, each phagosomal parameter can be evaluated quantitatively or semiquantitatively during post-analysis.

Numerical simulation of flow characteristics in a permeable liver sinusoid with leukocytes

Double-layered channels of sinusoid lumen and Disse space separated by fenestrated liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) endow the unique mechanical environment of the liver sinusoid network, which further guarantees its biological function. It is also known that this mechanical environment changes dramatically under liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, including the reduced plasma penetration and metabolite exchange between the two flow channels and the reduced Disse space deformability. The squeezing of leukocytes through narrow sinusoid lumen also affects the mechanical environment of liver sinusoid. To date, the detailed flow-field profile of liver sinusoid is still far from clear due to experimental limitations. It also remains elusive whether and how the varied physical properties of the pathological liver sinusoid regulate the fluid flow characteristics. Here a numerical model based on the immersed boundary method was established, and the effects of Disse space and leukocyte elasticities, endothelium permeability, and sinusoidal stenosis degree on fluid flow as well as leukocyte trafficking were specified upon a mimic liver sinusoid structure. Results showed that endothelium permeability dominantly controlled the plasma penetration velocity across the endothelium, whereas leukocyte squeezing promoted local penetration and significantly regulated wall shear stress on hepatocytes, which was strongly related to the Disse space and leukocyte deformability. Permeability and elasticity cooperatively regulated the process of leukocytes trafficking through the liver sinusoid, especially for stiffer leukocytes. This study will offer new insights into deeper understanding of the elaborate mechanical features of liver sinusoid and corresponding biological function.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles: Chemical and green synthesis, characterization, and comparative evaluation of their effects on caprine testis in vitro.

The present research was designed to investigate the potential effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by both chemical and green method in caprine testis. In this study, rod-shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) with diameter less than 100 nm were prepared by chemical and green method using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and Ocimum sanctum leaf extract as stabilizing agents respectively. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, LCMS, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and EDX were utilized to characterize the synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles. The histomorphological alterations of both chemically synthesized and biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles were evaluated after administration of two doses (10 µg/ml and 20 µg/ml) for exposure duration of 4 h and 8 h. Chemically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles induced significant damage in testicular cells in dose and time-dependent manner. The Histomorphological changes included desquamation in germinal epithelium, pyknosis in germ cells, increased vacuolization, loss of mature spermatozoa from lumen and wide interstitial space between seminiferous tubules. Protective effects of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles were recorded at lower dose whereas some alterations were observed when treated with 20 µg/ml for 4 h and 8 h culture duration. The results confirmed that phytochemicals present in leaf extract of O. sanctum mitigated the zinc oxide nanoparticles induced toxicity, proving biosynthesized nanoparticles are better than chemically synthesized nanoparticles.

Model construction and numerical simulation of arterial remodeling after stent implantation with variations of cell concentration

Differences in concentration of molecules can cause different molecular diffusion. This issue has not been well studied in the vascular remodeling process with regards to is-stent restenosis. This study designed and built a model to explore the effect of differences in vascular cell concentration on vascular remodeling.Finite element analysis (FEA) models and the agent-based models (ABMs) were established to simulate the damage and proliferation process of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) caused by coronary artery stent implantation. The FEA model simulated the expansion of the stent in the coronary artery, the tensile stress was captured and imported into the ABM, and the damaged VSMCs proliferated to reduce their damage level. VSMCs were randomly distributed within a defined domain, and the number of VSMCs in a unit volume (or area) was defined as the concentration of VSMCs. VSMCs with the smallest concentration of VSMCs will preferentially proliferate, which simulates the cell proliferation affected by the concentration of VSMCs.The results showed that after stent implantation, VSMCs proliferated gradually from the severely damaged stent area to the lumen until the artery reached a steady state. By comparison, the loss of arterial lumen and the number of newly grown VSMCs were greater in the presence of the concentration than in its absence.Cells made full use of the lumen space under the influence of concentration differences, so the concentration was of great significance to vascular remodeling.

Pharmacokinetics of bleomycin sclerotherapy in patients with vascular malformations.

Bleomycin, a chemotherapy agent that inhibits synthesis of DNA, has been increasingly utilized in sclerotherapy for patients with vascular malformations. A serious long-term risk of intravenous bleomycin is dose-dependent interstitial pneumonitis. Little is known about absorption and circulating levels of bleomycin when used in sclerotherapy for patients with vascular malformations. This is an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved prospective study on patients receiving bleomycin sclerotherapy in the management of vascular malformations. Depending on the type of vascular malformation, bleomycin was administered either in the lumen or interstitial space of the involved lesion. A bleomycin assay measured serum bleomycin plasma concentrations versus time at seven intervals following treatment. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained for each participant and included peak plasma concentration (Cmax ), time to reach peak plasma concentration (Tmax ), volume of distribution (Vd ), elimination half-life (t1/2 ), the volume of plasma cleared of the drug per unit time (CL), and total systemic exposure area under the curve (AUC). Fifteen patients were enrolled (5: lymphatic, 4: venous, 6: arteriovenous malformations). Bleomycin was administered interstitially (IS) in 11 patients and intraluminal (IL) in four; median age of 13years (range: 2-67). Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed terminal elimination half-life (t1/2λz ) of 88.51 (±23.09) and 111.61 (±37.75) minutes for the IS and IL groups, respectively. Vd was 4.86L (±6.74) and 1.55L (±0.54) for the IS and IL groups, respectively. AUC was 53.9 (±23.45) and 129.17 (±93.57) mgmin/L for the IS and IL groups, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in t1/2λz , Vd , or AUC parameters between groups. Bleomycin is absorbed systemically when used as a sclerosant for vascular malformations when injected either IS or IL.

A Novel High Content Angiogenesis Assay Reveals That Lacidipine, L-Type Calcium Channel Blocker, Induces In Vitro Vascular Lumen Expansion.

Angiogenesis is a critical cellular process toward establishing a functional circulatory system capable of delivering oxygen and nutrients to the tissue in demand. In vitro angiogenesis assays represent an important tool for elucidating the biology of blood vessel formation and for drug discovery applications. Herein, we developed a novel, high content 2D angiogenesis assay that captures endothelial morphogenesis’s cellular processes, including lumen formation. In this assay, endothelial cells form luminized vascular-like structures in 48 h. The assay was validated for its specificity and performance. Using the optimized assay, we conducted a phenotypic screen of a library containing 150 FDA-approved cardiovascular drugs to identify modulators of lumen formation. The screening resulted in several L-type calcium channel blockers being able to expand the lumen space compared to controls. Among these blockers, Lacidipine was selected for follow-up studies. We found that the endothelial cells treated with Lacidipine showed enhanced activity of caspase-3 in the luminal space. Pharmacological inhibition of caspase activity abolished the Lacidipine-enhancing effect on lumen formation, suggesting the involvement of apoptosis. Using a Ca2+ biosensor, we found that Lacipidine reduces the intracellular Ca2+ oscillations amplitude in the endothelial cells at the early stage, whereas Lacidipine blocks these Ca2+ oscillations completely at the late stage. The inhibition of MLCK exhibits a phenotype of lumen expansion similar to that of Lacidipine. In conclusion, this study describes a novel high-throughput phenotypic assay to study angiogenesis. Our findings suggest that calcium signalling plays an essential role during lumen morphogenesis. L-type Ca2+ channel blockers could be used for more efficient angiogenesis-mediated therapies.

The microstructure of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla) with tung oil thermal treatment

Summary Bamboo has a natural anisotropic porous structure. Previous studies have shown strong correlations between the properties and microstructure of bamboo. In this study, we examined the microstructure of Moso bamboo to reveal the mechanism of enhanced properties with tung oil thermal treatment. The morphological and chemical microstructure of Moso bamboo were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. We found that tung oil film presented in the cell wall, cell lumen, and intercellular space after tung oil thermal treatment, which could decrease the water permeability in the cell wall. Additionally, the pits in vessels showed significant shrinkage in the short-axis orientation with thermal treatment in tung oil, and the shrinkage rate was nearly 50% with a temperature of tung oil over 140°C, which prevented the transportation of water through the pit. The content of tung oil in bamboo was reduced by more than 50% with an increase of tung oil temperature from 140°C to 200°C, which further supported the results of changed bamboo morphology. Altogether, these findings offer further support for the enhanced hydrophobic property of bamboo after tung oil thermal treatment.

Morphologic and Morphometric Evaluation of the Carotid Artery Wall: A Cadaver-Based Light and Scanning Electron Microscopic Study

Introduction: A variety of changes occur on the elastic artery wall with age. Ultrastructural studies made in this area are mostly animal based. We aimed to evaluate wall changes and three-dimensional organization of the elastic lamellae with aging in humans. Material and Methods: Common carotid arteries were obtained from 17 human cadavers which were grouped as G1 (n = 6), 30–39 years; G2 (n = 5), 40–49 years; and G3 (n = 6), >50 years of age. Samples were evaluated under light and scanning electron microscopes. Results: Examination of G1 revealed intimal thickening and foamy cell infiltration. G2 and G3 had plaques bulging into the lumen and interlamellar space was widened. The lamellae were more straight. There was a positive correlation between intimal thickness and age. Elastic fiber content decreased with aging. Scanning electron microscopic analysis confirmed the findings. G1 and G2 had a smooth surfaced internal elastic lamina with uniform fenestrations whereas G3 contained numerous irregular fenestrae. Discussion and Conclusion: With this study, we showed some other wall structure changes beside plaque formation by aging. Which layer is affected the most was not clear at previous clinical studies because using ultrasonography (USG) cannot address the layer. Microscopic evaluation of this study revealed that when a wall thickening is detected by USG, it is due to intimal thickening. The specific vessel layer structural changes are important for proper treatment.

Histological and Weight Changes in the Testes of Plasmodium Berghei- Infected Swiss Mice Treated with Chloroquine

Chloroquine has gained great emphasis in the treatment of malaria. This study sought experimentally to determine the histomorphological and weight changes in the testes of male mice infected with Plasmodium berghei and treated with chloroquine. The study used 30 Swiss mice divided into five groups. Group 1 is Control that was not infected with Plasmodium berghei and not treated with chloroquine as control, Group 2 is Plasmodium (Plasmodiul berghei) Infected animals but not treated, Group 3 is Plasmodium Infected animals + Chloroquine (5mg/kg), Group 4 is Plasmodium Infected animals + Chloroquine (10mg/kg) and Group 5 is Plasmodium Infected animals + Chloroquine (15mg/kg). The mice were treated for 7 days after parasitaemia was confirmed and the Group 2-5 testes studied with reference to Group 1. The results showed that the Group 2 showed a little distortion, difference in spermatogenic activities and increased cellular activities; Group 3 showed large, convoluted tubules, moderate number of spermatids and large interstitial spaces, Group 4 showed Large seminiferous tubules, large spermatids, increased distortion and group 5 showed shrinking of seminiferous tubules, degeneration of interstitial cells of Leydig cells and Sertolic cells with spermatids. Groups 1-5 showed no significant effect in in body weights and testes weights of Swiss mice. Plasmodium berghei (malaria) and chloroquine have effects on histomorphological structures of Swiss mice testes but not on their teste’s weights. The testicular section from Swiss mice infected with malaria and treated at various doses when compared with the Control (Group 1) showed some moderate distortion in some structures like seminiferous tubules, connective tissues between the tubules, lumen and interstitial spaces. It can be deducted that Plasmodium berghei which caused parasitaemia in mice could cause a little tissue effect on mice if not treated.