Signal Intensity Changes Research Articles

Edge Detection on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

Edges are significant local changes in the image and are very important features for analysing images. Edges typically occur on the boundary between two different regions in an image. An edge in an image is a significant local change in the image intensity, usually associated with a discontinuity in either the image intensity or the first derivative of the image intensity. Edge detection is one of the tools that can be used in many image processing applications for withdrawing information from image. Sobel edge detection is one of the operators that operate on gradient based edge selection methods to find edge pixels in the image. This report proposed an implementation of Sobel edge Detection algorithm to find the pixels in grayscale images. We present a video streaming architecture and IP implementation using high level synthesis. A video with 720p resolution streamed from the HDMI source and real time edge detected video captured on another monitor. For implementation, ZYBO board or kit is used with Vivado software with 2018.3 V, which has provided adequate peripherals for implementation.

Designing Photochromic Materials La2MgSnO6:Er,Fe with Dynamic Luminescence Modulation for Dual‐mode Optical Information Reading

AbstractInorganic photochromic luminescent materials hold immense promise as potential candidates for optical information storage applications. Unfortunately, static and single reading mode of photochromic luminescent materials in bright and dark environments pose a security threat to the stored information. Here, a novel material La2MgSnO6:Er3+,Fe3+ is developed, possessing both reversible photochromic and adjustable upconversion/downconversion photoluminescent (PL) properties. Upon exposure to 275 nm ultraviolet (UV) light, the sample changes in color from white to brown. And this transformation rapidly reverses when exposed to 365 nm UV light, resulting in a corresponding alteration in luminescence intensity. Notably, when combined with photochromic, the 980 nm excited upconversion PL maintains stable luminescence, while the 365 nm excited downconversion PL exhibits significant intensity changes. Inspired by this unique feature, a dark‐field selective dual‐mode reading is proposed that depends on the excitation wavelength, including static decrypt in long‐time cases and dynamic reading in time‐limited situations. These findings have the potential to revolutionize high‐security data storage applications and drive advancements in the field.

Temporal Assessment of Gadolinium Deposition and T1 Signal Intensity Changes in Rat Kidney with Single and Multiple Doses of Injection: An Experimental Study.

Gadolinium deposition in biological tissues was first reported in patients with renal failure. We aimed to investigate gadolinium deposition in the rat kidney after exposure to single and multiple doses of gadolinium and evaluate deposition for 1- and 3-month periods. We also aimed to determine any correlation between the amount of deposition and T1-weighted image intensity. Seventy rats (5 animals per group) were included in the sample, and 9 groups received a single dose (0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mmol/kg) of gadolinium, and 1 group for each dose was sacrificed at the end of the first day, week, and month. Four groups received weekly doses (0.3 and 0.6 mmol/kg) and were sacrificed at the end of 6 and 12 weeks. Measurement of T1 intensities was carried out with postinjection images before sacrifice, and deposition was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The number of injections was associated with increased gadolinium deposition (P <.001) in the kidney. After the weekly injections, the deposited gadolinium levels did not significantly difer between the low and medium doses at the end of the sixth week (P=.067). There was no agreement between the observers regarding the measurement of T1 signal intensity in both single-dose and multidose experiments (P=.263 and P=.307, respectively). Deposition was dose dependent in the postinjection stage in contrast to the late stage in which deposition was not associated with dose or number of injections until the 12th week. T1 signal intensity measurement is unreliable for assessing deposition in the rat kidney.

Decomposing bulk signals to reveal hidden information in processive enzyme reactions: A case study in mRNA translation.

Processive enzymes like polymerases or ribosomes are often studied in bulk experiments by monitoring time-dependent signals, such as fluorescence time traces. However, due to biomolecular process stochasticity, ensemble signals may lack the distinct features of single-molecule signals. Here, we demonstrate that, under certain conditions, bulk signals from processive reactions can be decomposed to unveil hidden information about individual reaction steps. Using mRNA translation as a case study, we show that decomposing a noisy ensemble signal generated by the translation of mRNAs with more than a few codons is an ill-posed problem, addressable through Tikhonov regularization. We apply our method to the fluorescence signatures of in-vitro translated LepB mRNA and determine codon-position dependent translation rates and corresponding state-specific fluorescence intensities. We find a significant change in fluorescence intensity after the fourth and the fifth peptide bond formation, and show that both codon position and encoded amino acid have an effect on the elongation rate. This demonstrates that our approach enhances the information content extracted from bulk experiments, thereby expanding the range of these time- and cost-efficient methods.

Whole-lesion assessment of volume and signal changes after sclerotherapy of extremity venous malformations

PurposeTo investigate quantitative changes in MRI signal intensity (SI) and lesion volume that indicate treatment response and correlate these changes with clinical outcomes after percutaneous sclerotherapy (PS) of extremity venous malformations (VMs). MethodsVMs were segmented manually on pre- and post-treatment T2-weighted MRI using 3D Slicer to assess changes in lesion volume and SI. Clinical outcomes were scored on a 7-point Likert scale according to patient perception of symptom improvement; treatment response (success or failure) was determined accordingly. ResultsEighty-one patients with VMs underwent 125 PS sessions. Treatment success occurred in 77 patients (95 %). Mean (±SD) changes were –7.9 ± 24 cm3 in lesion volume and –123 ± 162 in SI (both, P <.001). Mean reduction in lesion volume was greater in the success group (–9.4 ± 24 cm3) than in the failure group (21 ± 20 cm3) (P =.006). Overall, lesion volume correlated with treatment response (ρ = –0.3, P =.004). On subgroup analysis, volume change correlated with clinical outcomes in children (ρ = –0.3, P =.03), in sodium tetradecyl sulfate–treated lesions (ρ = –0.5, P =.02), and in foot lesions (ρ = –0.6, P =.04). SI change correlated with clinical outcomes in VMs treated in 1 PS session (ρ = –0.3, P =.01) and in bleomycin-treated lesions (ρ = –0.4, P =.04). ConclusionsChange in lesion volume is a reliable indicator of treatment response. Lesion volume and SI correlate with clinical outcomes in specific subgroups.

Subtle white matter intensity changes on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging in patients with ischaemic stroke.

Leukoaraiosis is a neuroimaging marker of small-vessel disease that is characterized by high signal intensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI. There is increasing evidence from pathology and neuroimaging suggesting that the structural abnormalities that characterize leukoaraiosis are actually present within regions of normal-appearing white matter, and that the underlying pathophysiology of white matter damage related to small-vessel disease involves blood-brain barrier damage. In this study, we aim to verify whether leukoaraiosis is associated with elevated signal intensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging, a marker of brain tissue free-water accumulation, in normal-appearing white matter. We performed a cross-sectional study of adult patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Leukoaraiosis was segmented using a semi-automated method involving manual outlining and signal thresholding. White matter regions were segmented based on the probabilistic tissue maps from the International Consortium for Brain Mapping 152 atlas. Also, normal-appearing white matter was further segmented based on voxel distance from leukoaraiosis borders, resulting in five normal-appearing white matter strata at increasing voxel distances from leukoaraiosis. The relationship between mean normalized fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal intensity on normal-appearing white matter and leukoaraiosis volume was studied in a multivariable statistical analysis using linear mixed modelling, having normal-appearing white matter strata as a clustering variable. One hundred consecutive patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for analysis (53% female, mean age 68 years). Mean normalized fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal intensity on normal-appearing white matter was higher in the vicinity of leukoaraiosis and progressively lower at increasing distances from leukoaraiosis. In a multivariable analysis, the mean normalized fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal intensity on normal-appearing white matter was positively associated with leukoaraiosis volume and age (B = 0.025 for each leukoaraiosis quartile increase; 95% confidence interval 0.019-0.030). This association was found similarly across normal-appearing white matter strata. Voxel maps of the mean normalized fluid-attenuated inversion recovery signal intensity on normal-appearing white matter showed an increase in signal intensity that was not adjacent to leukoaraiosis regions. Our results show that normal-appearing white matter exhibits subtle signal intensity changes on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery imaging that are related to leukoaraiosis burden. These results suggest that diffuse free-water accumulation is likely related to the aetiopathogenic processes underlying the development of white matter damage related to small-vessel disease.

IR and Raman markers of the interactions between MoS2 and pyrimidine bases

Changes in vibrational spectra are among the most important manifestations of the interaction between transition metal dichalcogenides and nucleic acid bases (NAB). Infrared and Raman spectra were calculated using the DFT/M06-2X method for the most stable stacked and covalently bonded complexes of pyrimidine bases with MoS2. Obtained spectra were analyzed to determine the spectral markers of the interactions between the pyrimidine bases and MoS2. We found that interaction with MoS2 leads to significant changes in both frequencies and intensities of NAB vibrations. The correlation between the changes and interaction energies of the NAB molecules with MoS2 was demonstrated. In general, changes in the vibrational frequencies in complexes with covalent bonds are significantly greater than ones in stacked ones. For the bonded complexes, the most significant changes are observed for those fragments of the NAB molecules that are directly involved in the formation of the covalent bonds. Calculations predict the decrease of the IR intensity and Raman activities of the NAB molecules in the spectra of stacked complexes and their increase in the spectra of covalently bonded complexes.

Breast cancer classification through multivariate radiomic time series analysis in DCE-MRI sequences

Breast cancer is the most prevalent disease that poses a significant threat to women’s health. Despite the Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) has been widely used for breast cancer classification, its diagnostic performance is still suboptimal. In this work, the Radiomic workflow was implemented to classify the whole DCE-MRI sequence based on the distinction in contrast agent uptake between benign and malignant lesions. The radiomic features extracted from each of the seven time instants within the DCE-MRI sequence were fed into a multi-instant features selection strategy to select the discriminative features for time series classification. Several time series classification algorithms including Rocket, MultiRocket, K-Nearest Neighbor, Time Series Forest, and Supervised Time Series Forest were compared. Firstly, a univariate classification was performed to find the five most informative radiomic series, and then, a multivariate time series classification was implemented via a voting mechanism. The Multivariate Rocket model was the most accurate (Accuracy = 0.852, AUC-ROC = 0.852, Specificity = 0.823, Sensitivity = 0.882). The intelligible radiomic features enabled model findings explanations and clinical validation. In particular, the Energy and TotalEnergy were among the most important features, and the most descriptive for the change in signal intensity, which is the main effect of the contrast agent.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Monitoring of Thermal Lesions Produced by Focused Ultrasound

Abstract Background: The main goal of the study was to find the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters that optimize contrast between tissue and thermal lesions produced by focused ultrasound (FUS) using T1-weighted (T1-W) and T2-weighted (T2-W) fast spin echo (FSE) sequences. Methods: FUS sonications were performed in ex vivo porcine tissue using a single-element FUS transducer of 2.6 MHz in 1.5 and 3 T MRI scanners. The difference in relaxation times as well as the impact of critical MRI parameters on the resultant contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between coagulated and normal tissues were assessed. Discrete and overlapping lesions were inflicted in tissue with simultaneous acquisition of T2-W FSE images. Results: FUS lesions are characterized by lower relaxation times than intact porcine tissue. CNR values above 80 were sufficient for proper lesion visualization. For T1-W imaging, repetition time values close to 1500 ms were considered optimum for obtaining sufficiently high CNR at the minimum time cost. Echo time values close to 50 ms offered the maximum lesion contrast in T2-W FSE imaging. Monitoring of acute FUS lesions during grid sonications was performed successfully. Lesions appeared as hypointense spots with excellent contrast from surrounding tissue. Conclusion: MRI monitoring of signal intensity changes during FUS sonication in grid patterns using optimized sequence parameters can provide useful information about lesion progression and the success of ablation. This preliminary study demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed monitoring method in ex vivo porcine tissue and should be supported by in vivo studies to assess its clinical potential.

Electrochemical biosensor for rapid and sensitive monitoring of sulfadimethoxine based on nanoporous carbon and aptamer system

In this study, a straightforward electrochemical aptasensor was developed to detect sulfadimethoxine (SDM). It included a glassy carbon electrode decorated by boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) and aptamer-functionalized nanoporous carbon (APT/CZ). CZ was first synthesized by calcinating a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8). Then, the electroactive dye methylene blue (MB) was entrapped inside its pores. By attaching aptamer to the CZ surface, APT/CZ acted as a bioguard, which prevented the MB release. Therefore, the electrochemical signal of the entrapped MB was high in the absence of SDM. Introducing SDM caused the conformation of aptamers to change, and a large number of MB was released, which was removed by washing. Therefore, the detection strategy was done based on the change in the electrochemical signal intensity of MB. The aptasensor was applied to detect SDM at a concentration range of 10−17 to 10−7 M with a detection limit of 3.6 × 10−18 M.

Copper interaction with cystatin C: effects on protein structure and oligomerization.

Human cystatin C (hCC), a small secretory protein, has gained attention beyond its classical role as a cysteine protease inhibitor owing to its potential involvement in neurodegenerative disorders. This study investigates the interaction between copper(II) ions [Cu(II)] and hCC, specifically targeting histidine residues known to participate in metal binding. Through various analytical techniques, including mutagenesis, circular dichroism, fluorescence assays, gel filtration chromatography, and electron microscopy, we evaluated the impact of Cu(II) ions on the structure and oligomerization of hCC. The results show that Cu(II) does not influence the secondary and tertiary structure of the studied hCC variants but affects their stability. To explore the Cu(II)-binding site, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray studies were conducted. NMR experiments revealed notable changes in signal intensities and linewidths within the region 86His-Asp-Gln-Pro-His90, suggesting its involvement in Cu(II) coordination. Both histidine residues from this fragment were found to serve as a primary anchor of Cu(II) in solution, depending on the structural context and the presence of other Cu(II)-binding agents. The presence of Cu(II) led to significant destabilization and altered thermal stability of the wild-type and H90A variant, confirming differentiation between His residues in Cu(II) binding. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the interaction between Cu(II) and hCC, elucidating the impact of copper ions on protein stability and identifying potential Cu(II)-binding residues. Understanding these interactions enhances our knowledge of the role of copper in neurodegenerative disorders and may facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies targeting copper-mediated processes in protein aggregation and associated pathologies.

Determination of lead(II) in food samples using a functionalized paper-based fluorescent sensor modified by carbon dots.

This work discusses surface modification of cellulose paper specimens for compatibility with nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (NSCDs) for lead ion sensing. The interaction of carbon dots (CDs) and cellulose fibers was investigated using silane or chitosan-modified cellulose papers. It was found that modified papers could reduce undesirable redistribution of CDs, during paper drying. Also, only chitosan-modified filter paper was suitable for the successful immobilization of NSCDs. The effect of paper type, chitosan amount, pH, and NSCDs concentration was also studied, and a Whatman No. 42 filter paper modified with chitosan (1% w/v), pH8.0, and an NSCD concentration of 2.5g L-1 being selected for further studies. The sensor exhibited high selectivity for lead(II) compared with other metal ions because lead(II) resulted in the most significant changes in the emitted light intensity. Variations in NSCDs fluorescence were measured using a fluorescence imaging system. The NSCDs-paper sensor showed a linear relationship between mean fluorescence intensity and lead(II) in the concentration range of 5.00-1.25 × 102 μmol L-1 with a correlation coefficient (R2 ) of 0.9988 and a detection limit of 4.50 μmol L-1 . The suggested method showed satisfying results for lead(II) determination in different samples as a fast and low-cost approach with on-site application.

Mycofiltration of Aqueous Iron (III) and Imidacloprid Solutions, and the Effects of the Filtrates on Selected Biomarkers of the Freshwater Snail Helisoma duryi

To alleviate the burden of water contamination, a newly developed form of bioremediation known as mycofiltration can be employed. Mycofiltration is an environment-friendly technology involving the treatment of contaminated water by passing it through a network of saprophytic fungal mycelium. A mycofilter made of Pleurotus ostreatus was used for the removal of iron (III) and imidacloprid from aqueous solutions. Batch mycofiltration, at a dosage of 1 g of mycofilter per 50 mL, was performed on iron (III) solutions of different concentrations (0.99, 10.7, 22.9, and 27.72 mg/L) and pH (3.3, 7 and 11). For column mycofiltration, the mycofilter was packed into pyrex columns (3.3 × 15 cm) to desired bed heights. Iron (III) and imidacloprid solutions of 18.99 mg/L and 234.70 ng/L, respectively, were filtered at a constant flow rate. Thereafter, Helisoma duryi snails were exposed for 96 h to the respective filtrates, and their catalase and acetylcholinesterase activities were assessed. Batch mycofiltration showed iron (III) removal rates as high as 85%. Column mycofiltration showed removal rates of 94 and 31% for iron (III) and imidacloprid, respectively. Catalase activity was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in the snails exposed to iron (III) or imidacloprid filtrates, compared to the snails exposed to the non-mycofiltered media. A significantly higher acetylcholinesterase activity was induced by iron (III) filtrates in comparison with the non-mycofiltered media (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in acetylcholinesterase activity (p > 0.05) in the snails exposed to mycofiltered and non-mycofiltered imidacloprid media. Mycofilter characterisation using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry revealed significant changes in transmittance intensity in the mycofilters used for the iron (III) vs the ones used for the imidacloprid solutions. Mycofiltration was found to improve water quality although iron (III) was removed more effectively than imidacloprid.

One-pot polycondensation and characterization of melamine-based polymer for mercury and sodium hypochlorite sensing

A porous, low-cost, organic, amorphous and carbon-nitride functionalized polymer was synthesized using melamine and 5-bromo-2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde. One-pot polycondensation method was opted, to yield hyper-crosslinked polyaminal network which was used for the detection of NaOCl and Hg2+. Reaction proceeds in single step without addition of any catalyst and gives promising yield. The authenticity of the synthesized polymer MB was established using X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). However, the morphology and thermal stability of MB was studied using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) &amp; Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) &amp; Differential thermal analysis (DTA) respectively. BET studies were carried out to analyze the porous structure of MB. The pore diameter is centred at 6.2851 nm with specific surface area of 24.348 m2 g–1 and pore volume of 0.038258 cm3 g–1. The TGA curve showed that it has a good thermal stability (250°C). The synthesized compound was checked for its sensing behaviour with different analytes (metal ions: Cu2+, Cr2+, Mg2+, Cd2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Hg2+; acids: HCl, H2SO4, HNO3 and ROS: t-BuOOH, KO2, NaOCl) in deionized water and was found to show significant change in intensity with NaOCl and Hg2+. The change in absorption spectra was observed at varied concentrations of NaOCl and Hg2+ solutions in deionized water using UV-Vis. Spectrophotometer.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between sequestered cervical disk herniation and non-sequestered cervical disk herniation after anterior cervical decompression and fusion: a cohort study

BackgroundThe advantages of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) were well published, while research on postoperative results in different subtypes of cervical disk herniation (CDH) still remains blank. This study aimed to explore the surgical outcome between sequestration and other types in CDH.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study enrolled 108 patients treated with ACDF in our hospital. The participants were divided into two groups according to the existence of a sequestered disk. The Visual analog scale score, the Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) score and the Neck disability index score were used to evaluate postoperative outcome.ResultsSignificant improvements were observed in both groups at every viewpoint (P < 0.001). The mean JOA was 15.04 ± 1.26 in the sequestered disk group and 14.45 ± 1.43 in the non-sequestered disk group two months after the operation (P = 0.026 < 0.05). The improvement in JOA at two months after ACDF showed a significant difference: 46.58% ± 39.17% in the sequestered disk group and 33.39% ± 28.82% in the non-sequestered disk group (P = 0.047 < 0.05). Thirty-two patients in the sequestered disk group (64%) and 19 patients in the non-sequestered disk group (32.76%) presented with high signal intensity of the spinal cord on preoperative cervical T2-weighted MRI (P < 0.001).ConclusionsPatients with sequestered cervical disks seemed to have a higher degree of symptom improvement two months after ACDF. CDH with a sequestered disk appears to be more likely to cause high signal intensity changes in the compressed cervical spine on T2-weighted MRI. We prefer early positive surgery in patients with sequestered cervical disks from the clinical point of view.

A Cross-sectional Study on Neuroimaging in Epilepsy: Diagnostic Value of T2 Relaxometry in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Introduction: The use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) T2 relaxometry and spectroscopy has added new dimensions to the imaging of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE). Advanced techniques like MRI diffusion and MRI perfusion are new additions to the MRI protocol for epilepsy. Aim: To study the diagnostic value of T2 relaxation time in Electroencephalogram (EEG) confirmed seizure cases. Materials and Methods: A single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Radiodiagnosis, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, from December 2020 to November 2022 at a tertiary care hospital. All patients were subjected to MRI with a special epilepsy protocol and T2 relaxometry. Hippocampal T2 relaxation values for each slice were measured by placing a Region of Interest (ROI) on the representative image obtained from the T2 relaxometry sequence, focusing on the hippocampus in both the control and study groups. The control group (n=30) consisted of healthy volunteers, whereas the case group (n=36) comprised patients presenting with a history of seizures with positive MRI and EEG findings. Mean T2 relaxation time was calculated in each ROI, and an average was derived. Mean and Standard Deviation (SD) were calculated for the continuous variables, while ratios and proportions were calculated for the categorical variables. To determine the association of T2 relaxometry values in the study and control groups, an unpaired t-test was used. Results: The mean age of participants was 25.14±9.35 years (ranging from 9 to 51 years). The male-to-female ratio was 1.25:1. Hippocampal atrophy (32 out of 36 cases) and T2 signal alteration (30 out of 36 cases) were the most commonly identified features in Mesial Temporal Sclerosis (MTS). MRI without T2 relaxometry had a sensitivity of 94%. In two cases, where only mild hippocampal atrophy was identified in the conventional MRI sequence, making the diagnosis dubious, T2 relaxometry revealed increased T2 relaxation time in the head of the hippocampus and guided a proper diagnosis. EEG was able to lateralise seizures in 8 out of 13 right MTS cases (61.5%), 10 out of 17 left MTS cases (58.9%), and 5 out of 6 cases of bilateral MTS (83%). Conclusion: T2 relaxometry allows quantification of hippocampal signal intensity, allowing the detection of even subtle changes in signal intensity that are difficult to perceive by visual assessment.

Quantitative Analysis of Early White Matter Damage in Cuprizone Mouse Model of Demyelination Using 7.0 T MRI Multiparametric Approach.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is commonly used to follow the progression of neurodegenerative conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MRI is limited by a lack of correlation between imaging results and clinical presentations, referred to as the clinico-radiological paradox. Animal models are commonly used to mimic the progression of human neurodegeneration and as a tool to help resolve the paradox. Most studies focus on later stages of white matter (WM) damage whereas few focus on early stages when oligodendrocyte apoptosis has just begun. The current project focused on these time points, namely weeks 2 and 3 of cuprizone (CPZ) administration, a toxin which induces pathophysiology similar to MS. In vivo T2-weighted (T2W) and Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR) maps and ex vivo Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Magnetization Transfer Imaging (MTI), and relaxometry (T1 and T2) values were obtained at 7 T. Significant changes in T2W signal intensity and non-significant changes in MTR were observed to correspond to early WM damage, whereas significant changes in both corresponded with full demyelination. Some DTI metrics decrease with simultaneous increase in others, indicating acute demyelination. MTI metrics T2A, T2B, f and R were observed to have contradictory changes across CPZ administration. T1 relaxation times were observed to have stronger correlations to disease states during later stages of CPZ treatment, whereas T2 had weak correlations to early WM damage. These results all suggest the need for multiple metrics and further studies at early and late time points of demyelination. Further research is required to continue investigating the interplay between various MR metrics during all weeks of CPZ administration.

Singlet Oxygen Detection by Chemiluminescence Probes in Living Cells.

Singlet oxygen is a reactive oxygen species that causes oxidative damage to plant cells, but intriguingly it can also act as a signalling molecule to reprogram gene expression required to induce plant physiological/cellular responses. Singlet oxygen photosensitization in plants mainly occurs in chloroplasts after the molecular collision of ground-state molecular oxygen with triplet-excited-state chlorophyll. Singlet oxygen direct detection through phosphorescence emission in chloroplasts is a herculean task due to its extremely low luminescence quantum yield. Because of this, indirect alternative methods have been developed for its detection in biological systems, for example, by measuring the changes in the EPR signal or fluorescence intensity of singlet oxygen reaction-based probes. The singlet oxygen chemiluminescence (SOCL) is a chemiluminescence probe with high sensitivity and selectivity towards singlet oxygen and promising use to detect it in living cells without the inconvenience of low stability of the EPR signal of spin probes in the presence of redox compounds, spurious light scattering coming from the light source required for the excitation of fluorescence probes or the light emission of endogenous fluorescent molecules like chlorophyll in chloroplasts. The protocol presented in this chapter describes the first steps to characterizing singlet oxygen production within the biological system under study; this is accomplished through monitoring molecular oxygen consumption by SOCL using a Clark-type oxygen electrode and measuring the chemiluminescence generated by SOCL 1,2-dioxetane using a spectrofluorometer. For singlet oxygen detection within living cells, a version of SOCL with increased membrane permeability (SOCL-CPP) is described.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of novel reusable clay-based magnetic nanocomposite for the removal of organic dyes from water

In this study, a new synthesized magnetic nanocomposite was used as an adsorbent for the removal of toxic cationic dye methylene blue (MB). The adsorbent incorporated three components to produce a nanocomposite named Fe3O4/GO/natural clay. The characterization techniques were used to study the physical and chemical properties of nanocomposite and approve the successful synthesis. XRD of the Fe3O4/GO/natural clay nanocomposite indicated the crystalline structure with the appearance of characteristic peaks of each component. Also, the FT-IR of Fe3O4/GO/clay nanocomposite showed a significant change in the peak intensity of natural clay after the addition of GO and magnetic NPs which attributed to the successful interaction between GO and magnetic NPs with the functional groups on the surface of clay. The TEM and SEM images of the nanocomposite showed that the magnetic NPs, clay, and GO excellently interacted in one appropriate structure with the deposition of clay and magnetic NPs on the GO surface which serves as a matrix holding them. The MB adsorption system was optimized by varying several parameters, including pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, starting concentration, ionic strength, and competing ions. Furthermore, the adsorption isotherm showed that the highest adsorption capacities of 999.34 and 1108.54 mg/g for the Fe3O4/GO/natural clay and Fe3O4/natural clay nanocomposites, respectively, followed the Langmuir isotherm. Additionally, the kinetic analysis showed that a pseudo-second-order model better explained the adsorption on both nanocomposites. The nanocomposite can be reused for multiple cycles with a little drop in its initial performance, according to reusability research conducted up to six times using ethyl alcohol as the eluent. As a result, this reasonably priced adsorbent might be employed as a beneficial and effective dye adsorbent for the removal of MB from water while maintaining the safety of the water quality.

Improving Diagnostic Performance of MRI for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy With Deep Learning-Based Image Reconstruction in Patients With Suspected Focal Epilepsy.

To evaluate the diagnostic performance and image quality of 1.5-mm slice thickness MRI with deep learning-based image reconstruction (1.5-mm MRI + DLR) compared to routine 3-mm slice thickness MRI (routine MRI) and 1.5-mm slice thickness MRI without DLR (1.5-mm MRI without DLR) for evaluating temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This retrospective study included 117 MR image sets comprising 1.5-mm MRI + DLR, 1.5-mm MRI without DLR, and routine MRI from 117 consecutive patients (mean age, 41 years; 61 female; 34 patients with TLE and 83 without TLE). Two neuroradiologists evaluated the presence of hippocampal or temporal lobe lesions, volume loss, signal abnormalities, loss of internal structure of the hippocampus, and lesion conspicuity in the temporal lobe. Reference standards for TLE were independently constructed by neurologists using clinical and radiological findings. Subjective image quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were analyzed. Performance in diagnosing TLE, lesion findings, and image quality were compared among the three protocols. The pooled sensitivity of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR (91.2%) for diagnosing TLE was higher than that of routine MRI (72.1%, P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, 1.5-mm MRI + DLR showed higher sensitivity for hippocampal lesions than routine MRI (92.7% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.001), with improved depiction of hippocampal T2 high signal intensity change (P = 0.016) and loss of internal structure (P < 0.001). However, the pooled specificity of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR (76.5%) was lower than that of routine MRI (89.2%, P = 0.004). Compared with 1.5-mm MRI without DLR, 1.5-mm MRI + DLR resulted in significantly improved pooled accuracy (91.2% vs. 73.1%, P = 0.010), image quality, SNR, and CNR (all, P < 0.001). The use of 1.5-mm MRI + DLR enhanced the performance of MRI in diagnosing TLE, particularly in hippocampal evaluation, because of improved depiction of hippocampal abnormalities and enhanced image quality.