Oval Structures Research Articles

Synthesis of Acenaphthene Fused Dithiaporphyrin(3.1.1.1)s and N-Fused Triphyrin(3.1.1)s in One-Pot Condensation.

Two different types of novel nonaromatic acenaphthene fused macrocycles such as acenaphthene fused dithiaporphyrin(3.1.1.1)s and acenaphthene fused N-fused triphyrin(3.1.1)s were synthesized in one pot condensation reaction using 5,6-dibromoacenaphthene as a key precursor. The X-ray analysis revealed the oval core-shaped structure for dithiaporphyrin(3.1.1.1)s and intramolecular ring fusion in N-Fused triphyrin(3.1.1)s. The NMR, absorption and DFT studies suggested the non-aromatic nature of both macrocycles which absorb strongly in visible-NIR region. Both macrocycles were stable under electrochemical conditions and showed their electron-rich nature.

Radiographic and ultrasonographic findings of seminal vesiculitis with nonmineral stones in a guinea pig: Case report.

This case report refers to a 1-year-old Guinea pig showing signs of anorexia and antipain posture. On abdominal radiography, five rounded mineral opaque structures were evident in the mid-caudal abdomen. On ultrasound, a right seminal vesicle with a reduction in diameter was observed, containing less echogenic material than the contralateral one, with five oval structures with a hyperechogenic contour and a central hypoechogenic area, forming acoustic shadowing. The left seminal vesicle presented with the usual characteristics. After bilateral vesiculectomy, the patient recovered well, with no further symptoms. The histopathological result was a suppurative/abscessive inflammatory process with an accumulation of proteinaceous material.

Sustainable and Bio-based Food Packaging Design of Chinese Agricultural Products Under the “Internet Plus” Mindset

National identity is people's emotional attachment to the country, which is related to personal growth and success as well as the prosperity and stability of the country. The advent of the "Internet Plus" era marks a new ecological evolution in the networked society, significantly impacting personal national identity. On the one hand, the proactive, dynamic, autonomous, and connective nature of "Internet Plus" provides abundant resources and novel platforms to enhance individual national identity. On the other hand, its openness, compatibility, diversity, and anonymity can also challenge and influence personal perceptions of national belonging. This study delves into the nuanced interplay between national identity and the packaging design of Chinese agricultural products within the "Internet Plus" framework, exploring emerging trends, changes, and characteristics. This paper presents an in-depth literature assessment on the comprehensive methodology of Bio-based Food Packaging (B-FP) for food within the cyclical economy. It emphasizes three principal domains: (1) the function of B-FP within a circular goods layout method and material selection during the preproduction life cycle phase; (2) the contribution of B-FP to oval resource administration structures and the item's elimination life cycle phase; and (3) the optimum utilization of B-FP concerning the prioritization of end-of-life therapy. It scrutinizes the underlying issues and deep-seated causes, enriching the theoretical discourse on national identity. Through literature review and surveys, this paper firstly defines and clarifies the concepts of "Internet Plus," national identity, and the B-FP design of Chinese agricultural products. It then investigates the implications of "Internet Plus" for national identity within pastoral product B-FP design, examining its supportive role. Furthermore, survey data is analyzed to evaluate the impact of B-FP design on national identity from various aspects such as structure, visual appeal, and the absence of green design principles. Identifying key challenges and attributing them to factors such as brand competitiveness and rural revitalization strategies, the study ultimately seeks to formulate design strategies for agricultural product B-FP from a national identity perspective within the "Internet Plus" context.

Nevus Unius Lateris (NUL) in a Theree-Year-Old Child Treated by Tretinoin 0.025%, Desoxymethasone 0.25%, and Urea 20% Cream

Background: Linear verrucous epidermal nevus is the most frequent variant of the epidermal nevus classification. Linear verrucous epidermal nevus is characterized by the proliferation of epithelium arranged in a configuration that follows Blaschko's line. Nevus unius lateris (NUL) is a variant of the verrucous epidermal nevus, which has a unilateral distribution of lesions. Lesions are usually found at birth or in the first year of life as brown to grey verrucous papules or papillomatous plaques. The management of NUL is challenging as the results are varied and there is a high risk of recurrence. Purpose: to report a case of NUL and its management, especially in children. Case: A 3-year-old girl presented with brownish spots and multiple small lumps on the left buttock that have extended to the left leg since she was 9-days-old. On dermatologic examination, there were numerous hyperpigmented verrucous papules and plaques along the Blaschko line over the affected area. In this case, the diagnosis of NUL, is based on clinical symptoms and dermoscopy examination showed multiple large brown oval or round structures with hyperpigmented brown border. The patient was treated with combination topical therapy of tretinoin 0.025%, corticosteroid desoxymethasone 0.25%, and urea 20% cream, and the lesion improved within four weeks. Discussion: Epidermal nevus is often cosmetically disturbing. The treatment is still challenging and various, including surgical and non-surgical, but none is ideal and could potentially recur over months or years. dst.

Left ventricular apical hydatid cyst - A rare case report

ABSTRACT Cardiac hydatid cyst is an extremely rare manifestation of cystic echinoccococis, but without prompt diagnosis and management, it can be fatal. Despite the absence of standardized guidelines, an early, complete surgical removal in conjunction with anthelmintic therapy plays a central role and is associated with an excellent prognosis. We report an indigenous case of left ventricular apical hydatid cyst in a 75 - year - old female who presented with atypical symptoms including abnormal fatigue and increasing exercise intolerance. Although serological tests were negative, imaging modalities revealed a 36 x 30 mm oval structure in the left ventricular apex, suggesting a type I hydatid cyst. A single encapsulated cyst was surgically removed through a median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass. Histopathological analysis confirmed a hydatid cyst, and Echinococcus ortleppi was identified. The patient was discharged without incident and was prescribed 3 cycles of Albedazole.

Preparation of silymarin-loaded zein polysaccharide core–shell nanostructures and evaluation of their biological potentials

Abstract Silymarin-loaded zein polysaccharide core–shell nanoparticles (SZPCS-NPs) were synthesized where sodium alginate and pectin offer stability and controlled release qualities to zein, a maize protein, having excellent biocompatibility. The present study is an attempt to develop zein–silymarin polysaccharide core–shell nanostructures to enhance water solubility, thereby improving bioavailability and producing enhanced biological responses in living systems. SZPCS-NPs were prepared using pH-induced antisolvent precipitation method. Five different types of SZPCS-NPs were synthesized using different combinations of sodium alginate and pectin, namely P100–A00 (non-uniform size ranging from 20 to 100 nm), P70–A30 (spherical and uniform size measuring approximately 80 nm in diameter), P50–A50, P30–A70, and P00–A100 exhibited irregular shapes with the presence of some triangular and oval structures and non-uniform size ranging from 20 to 100 nm. The SZPCS-NPs P70–A30 possessed the best results in terms of shape, size, and other characterization studies. Furthermore, the SZPCS-NPs possessed a percent drug loading of 72.5% and entrapment efficiency of 51.7%, respectively. The resulting SZPCS-NPs exhibited an excellent relative bioavailability percentage of 97.4% in comparison to commercial silymarin, having 58.1%, and crude silymarin, having 46.97% bioavailability percentage, correspondingly. In addition, SZPCS-NPs possessed an almost two folds’ increase in antioxidant activity in comparison to crude and commercially available silymarin. Similarly, SZPCS-NPs also showed better stabilization in hepatic biomarker enzymes and possessed better hepatoprotective activity for a period of 6 weeks, in contrast to commercial and crude silymarin formulations.

Piroplasmid Infections Among Domestic Dogs in the Mountain City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the frequency of thepiroplasmids inblood from dogs and ticks recovered from these animals in Teresópolis city, located in the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. In addition to the clinical and hematological profile. A total of 400 dogs attended in a veterinary clinic in this city between 2020 and 2021 were included. The blood was collected from the dogs, along with ticks and information on these dogs was obtained through a questionnaire applied to the owners. Thin-smear analyses and complete blood counts were performed. All forms characteristic of piroplasmids were measured and classified morphologically. The blood was also subjected to PCR assays based on the genes 18S rRNA and hsp70. In addition, the ixodid ticks were classified morphologically and subjected to PCR for piroplasmids research. The amplified products were sent for gene sequencing. Piroplasmids were detected in 2.3% of the dogs. The variables statistically associated with infections in these animals were hemorrhage/bleeding, jaundice, anisocytosis, activated monocytes and macroplatelets (p ≤ 0.05). Piriform, ring-shaped, oval and aberrant structures were viewed in erythrocytes, neutrophils and monocytes, with lengths greater than and less than 2.5µm. The nine positive samples from these dogs were characterized as due to Rangelia vitalii. However, one sequence from B. vogeli was detected in a single adult specimen of R. sanguineus. Although circulation of two species of piroplasmids potentially infective for domestic dogs has been observed in the mountain city of Rio de Janeiro, infection due to R. vitalii was mostly seen in the dogs of the present study.

Preparation of anisotropic polyimide aerogels for thermal protection with outstanding flexible resilience using the freeze-drying method.

Polyimide aerogels (PIAs) not only possess excellent thermodynamic properties but also have a high porosity structure, making them an exceptional protective and thermal insulation material, and further broadening their application scope in aerospace and other cutting-edge fields. In this work, a series of anisotropic polyimide aerogels (3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (S-BPDA), p-phenylenediamine (PDA), 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether (ODA)) with excellent properties were prepared. These PIAs were obtained by unidirectional freeze-drying and thermal amination of two different precursor solutions mixed in proportion. These PIAs possess an irregularly oval tubular structure, exhibiting pronounced anisotropy. (PIA-2 exhibits outstanding flexible resilience in the radial direction. It can still regain its original form after half an hour of compression by a universal testing machine, yet it cannot do so in the axial direction. The thermal diffusivity of PIA-5 in the radial direction at room temperature is as low as 0.067 mm2 s-1, and even at 200 °C, the thermal diffusivity is as low as 0.057 mm2 s-1. Meanwhile, the thermal diffusivity in the axial direction at room temperature is 0.11 mm2 s-1, surpassing the value of 0.106 mm2 s-1 of aerogels prepared from monomeric raw materials and dried under supercritical conditions). PIAs exhibit outstanding thermal stability (the axial strength and modulus retention of PIA-8 at 200 °C are as high as 52.63% and 44.82%), and its weight loss temperature of 5% is as high as 603 °C and it has a glass softening temperature of 387 °C. PIAs also demonstrate exceptional flame retardancy in imitation flame retardant experiments and exhibit outstanding thermal insulation performance when heated on a 150 °C heating plate for 10 minutes (the radial surface temperature of PIA-5 was only 49.9 °C). These anisotropic PIAs materials exhibit outstanding flexible resilience, and thermal protection performance, holding significant importance for their widespread adoption as thermal insulation materials in aerospace, high-precision electronic components, and other domains.

Ultrasound Guided Phrenic Nerve Block for Percutaneous Computer Tomography Guided Lung Biopsy

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present the technique of the ultrasound (US) guided phrenic nerve block (PNB). This is an important adjuvant technique for percutaneous computer-tomography (CT) lung biopsy of nodules situated in the lower lobes, in proximity of the diaphragm, with a diameter of less than 2 cm. These types of nodules have a high location variability during respiration, which makes them hard to be approached for a successful biopsy. US visualization of the nerve is possible after identifying specific landmarks as the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscle, interval jugular vein and brachial plexus. The phrenic nerve is seen as an oval hypoechogenic structure with no Doppler signal, superficial to the anterior scalene muscle. Ropivacaine can be used as a local anesthetic to induce the PNB. Results: Success of the phrenic nerve block can be assessed by CT scanogram, which shows the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm elevated, and by subsequent lung scans that show little to no location variability of the target lesion. Conclusion. US-guided PNB is a safe and efficient procedure that can help during percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy of small basal nodules.

Aerodynamic characterization of a H-Darrieus wind turbine with a Drag-Disturbed Flow device installation

This study examines the impact of the Drag-Disturbed Flow device on the startup and operation of HDWT (H-Darrieus wind turbine). The device plays a crucial role in enhancing the startup performance of the HDWT and improving the overall wind energy utilization. This work presents a study where two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) evaluations are performed on various D-DF (Drag-Disturbed) devices. The HDWT utilizes the NACA0018 airfoil type, while the D-DF device employs triangular, oval, and NACA0018 airfoil structures. The text explains the installation process and operational principles of the D-DF device. It also verifies the device's meshing and accuracy. Furthermore, this study conducts 2-D simulations to analyze the impact of various D-DF devices on the moment and wind energy consumption coefficients of the HDWT. Additionally, the process by which D-DF devices enhance the performance of the HDWT is explained by an analysis of the vortex cloud diagram. The results indicate that the HDWTs equipped with D-DF devices experience significant performance improvements during the wind turbine startup phase. Specifically, the Drag blade effectively enhances the moment coefficient of the HDWTs at low tip speed ratios by an average of approximately 41.74 %. Additionally, once the HDWTs are started and operating at high tip speed ratios, all D-DF devices, except for the DF-Tri, can be utilized within the λ = 1.2–2 range to enhance the torque coefficient of the HDWT by an average of about 7.53 %. This study aims to improve the operating performance of the current HDWT, lower the wind turbine cut-in wind speed, and enhance the wind energy consumption of the turbine.

Rinosporidiose equina: relato de caso no centro-oeste brasileiro

This is the first report of equine nasal rhinosporidiosis in Mineiros, Goiás, diagnosed through the histopathological analysis of granulomatous masses removed from a horse’s nostril of a 12-year-old male horse, through a surgical procedure. Microscopy revealed a papillomatous tissue lesion covered by moderately hyperplastic squamous epithelium, rich, loose fibrocollagenous tissues, well vascularized, accompanied by an accentuated inflammatory reaction constituted by a mixture of macrophages, lymphocytes, plasmocytes, and smaller number of neutrophils, and numerous round to oval structures with a unilamellar wall and a central nucleus surrounded by basophilic granular material, which were morphologically compatible with Rhinosporidium spp. sporangia.

Magnetic resonance imaging for proper diagnosis and management of Müllerian duct anomalies

The objective of this study was to highlight the importance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in achieving an accurate early diagnosis and facilitating precise treatment planning for Müllerian duct anomalies (MDAs). To discuss this topic, we present two case reports.Case 1: a 19-year-old nulliparous female presented with primary amenorrhea and normal secondary sexual characteristics. Vaginal inspection revealed a shortened vagina, but no discernible cervix. Transvaginal ultrasound (US) subsequently showed an oval structure initially thought to be the cervix, but no visible uterus or ovaries. MRI eventually confirmed a diagnosis of Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, with an absence of a uterus, cervix and upper section of the vagina, and the presence of a median fibrous remnant. Case 2: a 24-year-old nulliparous female presented with severe dysmenorrhea and uterine tenderness upon physical examination. Initial US evaluation pointed to bilateral hydrosalpinx. Pelvic MRI finally confirmed a left unicornuate uterus with a rudimentary non-communicating right cavity and associated hematosalpinx. The patient underwent surgical removal of the right rudimentary horn and fallopian tube.These cases demonstrate how MRI yields a much more detailed evaluation of the anatomy of the pelvic region. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can significantly reduce the risk of complications and enhance outcomes.

Asymmetric Flared Vivaldi MIMO Antenna for 5G Millimeter Wave Communication

Background:: As a panacea for most of today's wireless communication problems, recently, the evolution and demand for mm-wave devices and antennas are increasing for their use in different applications and future millimeter wave communication. A 4-port miniaturized Asymmetric Vivaldi MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) antenna is designed and presented for millimeter wave communication. Method and Meterial:: The top side is made up a flared shape patch with an oval shape structure, while the back side is made up of partial ground with flare shaped structure to achieve minimum mutual coupling. The Vivaldi structure is used on a low-cost FR4 dielectric substrate for wide bandwidth and high gain with a loss tangent of 0.02. The designed MIMO has an overall size of 31 x 40 mm2. The proposed MIMO covers a 20-40 GHz dual frequency band. Result:: The achieved isolation between antenna elements is more than 53.40 dBi, which shows the low mutual coupling between antenna elements. The simulated response for the proposed antenna is reported in terms of gain, ECC, surface current distribution, VSWR, returns loss, and directivity and shows the MIMO antenna’s good performance characteristics. Conclusion:: Both the simulated and measured results are presented, and it shows good agreement between them.

Szolnok – Milléri-holtág part I-II. több korszakú lelőhely őrlőkő leletei archeometriai vizsgálatának előzetes eredményei : Új adatok a domoszlói piroxénandezit nyersanyag régészeti elterjedéséhez

The multi-period archaeological site Szolnok – Milléri-holtág part I-II is located in the north-eastern vicinity of Szolnok, approximately 5 km from the town, on the high bank of the Milléri-holtág. The total excavated area is almost 27 000 m2 . The preventive excavation was performed by the staff of the Hungarian National Museum in two campaigns (in 2014 and 2015) connected with the M4 motorway constructions. Most excavated settlement features belonged to a Middle Iron Age (Scythian Period) and a Late Iron Age (Celtic Period) rural settlement with scattered structures. Besides these, other settlement features were found from the Neolithic, Late Bronze Age and Medieval Period (Árpád Period). It has to be mentioned that in the excavated part of the Scythian Period settlement, only circular and oval structures were found. The rectangular features – typical for other settlements of the period – were absent in Milléri-Holtág part I-II. However, the archaeological finds were typical: ceramic assemblages were characterised by long-lasting forms (pots, bowls) of the Iron Age household ceramics. The assemblages of the Late Iron Age features were very similar to the vessel types of the earlier period. The partition of the artefacts can only be made with the help of some characteristic forms and ornamentations that appeared in a close unit. The ground stone assemblage of the site (primarily fragments of grinding stones) was analysed with petrographic and geochemical methods. Based on these investigations, the finds' most frequent raw material type could be identified with the Domoszló-type pyroxene andesite from the Mátra Mountains, studied intensively in the past few years. Other types of andesite were present in the ground stone assemblage in smaller amounts. The identification of the source areas of these different andesite raw material types needs more exploration, not just in the territory of Hungary, but also in some areas beyond the borders, e.g. Subcarpathia (Zakarpatska Oblast, Ukraine), Eastern-Slovakia, Transylvania (Romania).

A Targeted Multi-Crystalline Manganese Oxide as a Tumor-Selective Nano-Sized MRI Contrast Agent for Early and Accurate Diagnosis of Tumors.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for the accurate diagnosis of malignant tumors in clinical settings. However, the lack of tumor-specific MRI contrast agents limits diagnostic accuracy. Herein, we developed αvintegrin receptor-targeting multi-crystalline manganese oxide (MCMO) as a novel MRI contrast agent for accurate diagnosis of tumors by coupling iRGD cyclopeptide PEGylation polymer onto the surface of MCMO (iRGD-pMCMO). The MCMO consisted of numerous small crystals and exhibited an oval structure of 200 nm in size. The iRGD-pMCMO actively recognizes tumor cells and effectively accumulates at the tumor site, consequently releasing abundant Mn2+ ions in a weakly acidic and high-GSH-expressing tumor microenvironment. Subsequently, Mn2+ ions interact with cellular GSH to form Mn-GSH chelates, enabling efficient T1-weighted MR contrast imaging. In vivo experiments indicated that iRGD-pMCMO significantly improved T1-weighted images, achieving an accurate diagnosis of subcutaneous and orthotopic tumors. The results verified that the T1 contrast effect of iRGD-pMCMO was closely associated with the expression of GSH in tumor cells. Altogether, the novel tumor-targeting, highly sensitive MRI contrast agent developed in this study can improve the accuracy of MRI for tumor diagnosis.

Sonographic features of abdominal organs in healthy captive Neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis).

This study aimed to assess the sonographic features of abdominal organs in healthy captive Neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis). The sonograph showed that the urinary bladder was located in the caudal abdomen and its content was uniformly anechoic. The bladder wall had three layers: outer hyperechoic serosa, hypoechoic muscular layer and hyperechoic mucosa. The mean total wall thickness was 0.10 cm. The splenic parenchyma had a homogeneous echotexture with greater echogenicity than that of the left renal cortex and liver. The borders were regular and tapered. Rugal folds were observed in the stomach when undistended. The mean gastric wall thickness was 0.28 cm and five distinct layers were visible. The liver had smooth contours, and division of the hepatic lobes was not precisely visualized. The hepatic parenchyma had a homogeneous echotexture with greater echogenicity as compared to the right kidney and lesser echogenicity than that of the spleen. The gallbladder appeared as an oval or rounded structure in the transverse plane, filled with homogeneous anechogenic content; the wall was thin, regular and hyperechoic, with a mean thickness of 0.09 cm. The kidneys had a lobulated appearance with renicular subunits. The mean total length of the kidneys in longitudinal plane was 6.18 cm for the left and 6.27 cm for the right. Each reniculus was covered by an echogenic capsule, and the medullary region was more hypoechogenic than the cortical region. In conclusion, sonographic features in most of the abdominal organs in Neotropical otters are similar to the ultrasound patterns observed in healthy dogs and cats, except for kidneys with reniculi.

Fungal Bioagents and Botanicals Efficacy against Alternaria alternata Responsable for Leaf Blight Disease of Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia rebaudiana, a herbaceous perennial prized for its natural sweetness, has gained global acclaim and found in various parts of India including Karnataka. An exploration into leaf spot disease (caused by Alternaria alternata (FR.) Keissler) in Stevia was conducted under the conditions of southern Karnataka to identify effective management strategies. The symptoms initially manifested as petite circular spots of a light brown colour, subsequently evolving into irregular shapes ranging from dark brown to grey. Some spots maintained their circular form, exhibiting concentric rings or zones. Severely affected leaves exhibited the merging of numerous spots, forming expansive necrotic areas. On older leaves, concentric spots were predominantly found at the tips. The diameter of the leaf spots ranged from 2 to 18 mm. The conidial dimensions varied from 10 to 40 × 6-12 mm, displaying a mid to dark brown or olive-brown color. They were short-beaked, arranged in long chains, and had an oval and bean-shaped structure with 3–5 transverse septa. Considering the adverse effects of chemical fungicides, the exploration for a safer alternative to control the pathogen became a preferable option. This led to experiments involving the use of bioagents for pathogen control. The six known bioagents were evaluated by dual culture, pathogen at periphery and pathogen at the center technique to monitor antagonistic effect. The results revealed that out of all the six bioagents used, two bioagents namely Trichoderma viride (74.77%, 69.04% and 79.45%) and T. harzianum (71.25%, 59.96% and 74.78%) showed maximum growth inhibition in dual culture, pathogen at periphery and pathogen at the center methods, respectively. among the botanicals used neem (36.63%) and ginger (36.42%) found to be effective in inhibiting mycelial growth. Unraveled the strong antagonistic effect to inhibit the mycelia growth of the pathogen significantly.

Sonography of the pituitary gland in pet rats.

Pituitary gland (PG) tumors are common in rats over the age of 2. CT and MRI can be difficult to apply in this species, whereas ultrasound is more feasible and useful. To our knowledge, there are no studies on PG ultrasound in rats. The aim of this prospective, analytical study was to evaluate the reliability of ultrasound in identifying PG, to define the ultrasound dimension of the gland in a group of rats with no evidence of pituitary diseases, and to examine its correlations with age, sex, and weight. After localizing the PG with an MRI study on one rat, the gland was identified in 21 rats by ultrasound by two sonographers using a ventral neck approach and a transversal scan with a linear probe. The gland appears as a hypoechoic oval structure with a thin hyperechoic margin. The rats (15 male and 6 female) ranged from 4 to 18 months in age (median 6 months) and from 270 to 640g in weight (median 370g). The median pituitary width was 3.96mm (interquartile range 25-75%: 6-4.5mm), and the median height was 1.48mm (interquartile range 25-75%: 1.3-1.67mm). There was no statistically significant correlation between PG size and rat weight, gender, or age. We believe that these ultrasound measurements could be useful for the diagnosis of pituitary disease, irrespective of whether neurological symptoms are present. We report a clinical case of a rat with a pituitary mass detected by ultrasound and CT.

Evaluation of Presumptive Normal Feline Tonsils with Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Preliminary Retrospective Study.

Palatine tonsils are lymphoid organs, whose anatomic localization gives them a role against antigens entering the body during feeding and breathing. In human medicine, MRI is used to investigate tonsillar diseases. In veterinary medicine, a recent study on healthy dogs described the MRI appearance of canine palatine tonsils, with no available reports about feline ones. Due to the similarities between animals and humans, and based on the study on canine tonsils, the authors aimed to evaluate the feasibility of low-field MRI to detect and describe presumed normal features of feline palatine tonsils, assessing the finding's reproducibility. Low-field MRI of the heads of 14 cats was reviewed, and qualitative findings (visualization, shape, margins, signal intensity, and pattern) and size of each tonsil were recorded. Each observer recorded 71% of the expected tonsils. Most of them were classified as oval, ill-defined, and hyperintense structures with both homogeneous and heterogeneous signal patterns; the overall agreement was considered good. Low-field MRI is potentially a useful imaging modality to visualize palatine tonsils in cats, and their normal appearance has been described for the first time. The authors recommend the evaluation of tonsils in the transverse plane and consider the most accurate estimation of the short axis.

Lipid nanoparticles with PEG-variant surface modifications mediate genome editing in the mouse retina

Ocular delivery of lipid nanoparticle (LNPs) packaged mRNA can enable efficient gene delivery and editing. We generated LNP variants through the inclusion of positively charged-amine-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lipids (LNPa), negatively charged-carboxyl-(LNPz) and carboxy-ester (LNPx) modified PEG-lipids, and neutral unmodified PEG-lipids (LNP). Subretinal injections of LNPa containing Cre mRNA in the mouse show tdTomato signal in the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) like conventional LNPs. Unexpectedly, LNPx and LNPz show 27% and 16% photoreceptor transfection, respectively, with striking localization extending from the photoreceptor synaptic pedicle to the outer segments, displaying pan-retinal distribution in the photoreceptors and RPE. LNPx containing Cas9 mRNA and sgAi9 leads to the formation of an oval elongated structure with a neutral charge resulting in 16.4% editing restricted to RPE. Surface modifications of LNPs with PEG variants can alter cellular tropism of mRNA. LNPs enable genome editing in the retina and in the future can be used to correct genetic mutations that lead to blindness.