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Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias 2022Benthic cyanobacterial assemblages from ponds distributed along inland-coastal gradients in the McMurdo Sound region were studied during the 2011/12 Antarctic summer...
Benthic cyanobacterial assemblages from ponds distributed along inland-coastal gradients in the McMurdo Sound region were studied during the 2011/12 Antarctic summer season. Twenty-five ponds were sampled in four distinct geographic locations, including the Lower and Upper Wright Valleys, Ross Island and the McMurdo Ice Shelf. For morphological identification, benthic mat samples were thawed and a subsample was directly observed by light microscopy. Remaining sample material was stored in 50 ml sterile polycarbonate bottles containing the mineral nutrient medium MLA for future studies, maintained at a temperature of 21°C. Ten morphological criteria were used to describe the morphotypes (trichome shape, number of trichomes in sheath, presence or absence of terminal attenuation of trichome, calyptra on mature apical cell, shape of apical cell, presence or absence of constrictions at transverse walls, granules, branching, range in width of trichomes and range of cell length) with reference to available identification literature. All morphospecies were documented using photomicrography. In total, 29 morphospecies were described, four assigned to the order Chroococcales, three to Nostocales and 22 to Oscillatoriales. The four geographic locations had similar taxonomic richness, sharing many morphospecies. However, each also contained distinct floristic elements that were rare or absent from the others.
Topics: Antarctic Regions; Cyanobacteria; Ponds
PubMed: 35442301
DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220210814 -
Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure 2022Smartphones can be used to capture images from the microscope. There are commercial and homemade adapters that can be used to overcome the difficulty of focusing on a...
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Smartphones can be used to capture images from the microscope. There are commercial and homemade adapters that can be used to overcome the difficulty of focusing on a smartphone camera. We conducted this study to test if the usage of a homemade adapter reduces the time and effort of the operator in comparison to the free-hand technique in smartphone photomicrography.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We made a simple smartphone adapter for digital photomicrography. Thirty-two operators first captured the image on the smartphone with the free-hand technique and then with the adapter thrice from a microscope. The time for focusing was compared statistically by paired -test. A survey was conducted to know operators's opinions on adapter-assisted photomicrography.
RESULT
All the participants were able to capture images from the microscopes. The average time for focusing with adapter was (11.89 ± 4.19 seconds) significantly ( = 0.0001) lower than the free-hand technique (25.56±11.81 seconds). However, the images yielded from both techniques were of equal quality. The majority of the participant found the method to be easy and reduce their effort in focusing and capturing an image.
CONCLUSION
Low-cost homemade smartphone adapter helps in reducing the time required for capturing an image from the microscope. It decreases the effort of the operator in comparison to the free-hand technique. Hence, it may be a good choice for those who need to capture images from the microscopes frequently for either telemedicine or research purpose in resource-limited settings.
PubMed: 35433256
DOI: 10.4103/JMAU.JMAU_45_20 -
ACS Omega Mar 2022The present work describes the development and characterization of liquid crystalline nanoparticles of hispolon (HP-LCNPs) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma....
Hispolon-Loaded Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles: Development, Stability, In Vitro Delivery Profile, and Assessment of Hepatoprotective Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
The present work describes the development and characterization of liquid crystalline nanoparticles of hispolon (HP-LCNPs) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. HP-LCNPs were prepared by a top-down method utilizing GMO as the lipid and Pluronic F-127 as the polymeric stabilizer. The prepared formulations (HP1-HP8) were tested for long-term stability, where HP5 showed good stability with a particle size of 172.5 ± 0.3 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.38 ± 0.31 nm, a zeta potential of -10.12 mV ± 0.05, an entrapment efficiency of 86.81 ± 2.5%, and a drug loading capacity of 12.51 ± 1.12%. Optical photomicrography and transmission electron microscopy images demonstrated a consistent, low degree of aggregation and a spherical shape of LCNPs. The effect of temperature and pH on the optimized formulation (HP5) indicated good stability at 45 °C and at pH between 2 and 5. In vitro gastrointestinal stability indicated no significant change in the particle size, PDI, and entrapment efficiency of the drug. The drug release study exhibited a biphasic pattern in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) for 2 h and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4) for up to 24 h, while the best fitting of the profile was observed with the Higuchi model, indicating the Fickian diffusion mechanism. The in vivo pharmacokinetic study demonstrated nearly 4.8-fold higher bioavailability from HP5 (AUC: 1774.3 ± 0.41 μg* h/mL) than from the HP suspension (AUC: 369.11 ± 0.11 μg* h/mL). The anticancer activity evaluation revealed a significant improvement in antioxidant parameters and serum hepatic biomarkers (SGOT, SGPT, ALP, total bilirubin, and GGT) in the diethyl nitrosamine-treated group of rats with the optimized LCNP formulation (HP5) vis-à-vis HP suspension.
PubMed: 35350323
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c06796 -
NeuroImage Mar 2022Abnormal tau inclusions are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and predictors of clinical decline. Several tau PET tracers are available for neurodegenerative disease...
Abnormal tau inclusions are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and predictors of clinical decline. Several tau PET tracers are available for neurodegenerative disease research, opening avenues for molecular diagnosis in vivo. However, few have been approved for clinical use. Understanding the neurobiological basis of PET signal validation remains problematic because it requires a large-scale, voxel-to-voxel correlation between PET and (immuno) histological signals. Large dimensionality of whole human brains, tissue deformation impacting co-registration, and computing requirements to process terabytes of information preclude proper validation. We developed a computational pipeline to identify and segment particles of interest in billion-pixel digital pathology images to generate quantitative, 3D density maps. The proposed convolutional neural network for immunohistochemistry samples, IHCNet, is at the pipeline's core. We have successfully processed and immunostained over 500 slides from two whole human brains with three phospho-tau antibodies (AT100, AT8, and MC1), spanning several terabytes of images. Our artificial neural network estimated tau inclusion from brain images, which performs with ROC AUC of 0.87, 0.85, and 0.91 for AT100, AT8, and MC1, respectively. Introspection studies further assessed the ability of our trained model to learn tau-related features. We present an end-to-end pipeline to create terabytes-large 3D tau inclusion density maps co-registered to MRI as a means to facilitate validation of PET tracers.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease; Biomarkers; Datasets as Topic; Deep Learning; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Neuroimaging; Photomicrography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; tau Proteins
PubMed: 34933123
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118790 -
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology Mar 2022Within the field of pathology there is a need for a uniform low-cost option for securing high-quality photomicrographs. Advances in smartphone photography and...
BACKGROUND
Within the field of pathology there is a need for a uniform low-cost option for securing high-quality photomicrographs. Advances in smartphone photography and 3D-printing technology allow for custom adapters to be designed for the purpose of photomicrograph capture.
METHODS
Photomicrograph acquisition was performed using four core modalities: a novel 3D-printed smartphone-to-microscope adapter, freehand smartphone-to-microscope technique, a commercial adaptor (LabCam Pro), and a microscope-mounted digital camera. Eight skin diagnoses were photographed using each of the modalities and time to image capture was measured. The photomicrographs were blindly reviewed by two academic dermatopathologists and one pathologist using a side-by-side comparison technique to determine the image quality. Cost assessments were evaluated by obtaining free pricing information on manufacturer websites.
RESULTS
The 3D-printed adapter was the most efficient method of capturing a high-quality photomicrograph in addition to being budget neutral. The microscope-mounted camera produced the highest quality photomicrographs followed by the 3D-printed adapter.
CONCLUSIONS
The 3D-printed smartphone-to-microscope adapter offers a low-cost, time-efficient method of capturing high-quality photomicrographs.
Topics: Costs and Cost Analysis; Humans; Pathology, Clinical; Photomicrography; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Skin Diseases; Smartphone
PubMed: 34427943
DOI: 10.1111/cup.14127 -
Endeavour Sep 2021Standing apart from Martin Heidegger's 1929-1930 metaphysical lessons is his description of a photograph taken by Josef Maria Eder, for Sigmund Exner, using the lens of...
Standing apart from Martin Heidegger's 1929-1930 metaphysical lessons is his description of a photograph taken by Josef Maria Eder, for Sigmund Exner, using the lens of a glow worm's eye. Since the technical details of the production of such a photography are not readily available, I will reconstruct the experimental setting. Paying attention to the technical details opens up a venue for historical and philosophical reflection based on the creative potential of scientific practices. Through a critical approach, a rather generic experimental meshwork could be turned into a natural-artifactual, living-nonliving hybrid setting in which the concepts of dense technological environment, philosophical toy, and experimental system meet and intertwine thanks to the playfulness that goes through them, a quality rooted in scientific practices. Within this hybrid and playful configuration, the unliving emerges as a paradoxical voice for the living.
PubMed: 34418787
DOI: 10.1016/j.endeavour.2021.100782 -
Texas Heart Institute Journal Jan 2021Papillary fibroelastomas are benign tumors that usually originate from cardiac valves but may have other endocardial origins. We report the cases of 2 patients in whom...
Papillary fibroelastomas are benign tumors that usually originate from cardiac valves but may have other endocardial origins. We report the cases of 2 patients in whom left atrial appendage masses were initially diagnosed as thrombus. They were treated for embolic stroke and their symptoms resolved; however, their left atrial appendage masses did not regress. After surgery, histologic analysis of the resected masses revealed papillary fibroelastoma in both cases. We discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas encountered in patients with papillary fibroelastomas and cardiac masses other than thrombus.
Topics: Aged; Atrial Appendage; Cardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma; Diagnosis, Differential; Echocardiography, Transesophageal; Heart Neoplasms; Humans; Male; Papillary Muscles; Photomicrography
PubMed: 33946109
DOI: 10.14503/THIJ-19-7088 -
Annals of Diagnostic Pathology Jun 2021Among four sub-patterns of Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer, voluminous evidence supports that the cribriform pattern holds an unfavorable prognostic impact, as compared... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Among four sub-patterns of Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer, voluminous evidence supports that the cribriform pattern holds an unfavorable prognostic impact, as compared with poorly-formed, fused, or glomeruloid. The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) recommends specifying whether invasive grade 4 cancer is cribriform. Recently, ISUP experts published a consensus definition of cribriform pattern highlighting criteria that distinguish it from mimickers. The current study aimed to analyze morphologic features separately to identify those that define the essence of the cribriform pattern. Thirty-two selected photomicrographs were classified by 12 urologic pathologists as: definitely cribriform cancer, probably cribriform, unsure, probably not cribriform, or definitely not cribriform. Consensus was defined as 9/12 agree or disagree, with ≤1 strongly supporting the opposite choice. Final consensus was achieved in 21 of 32 cases. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) model with logit link was fitted to estimate effect of multiple morphologic predictors. Fisher exact test was used for categorical findings. Presence of intervening stroma precluded calling cribriform cancer (p = 0.006). Mucin presence detracted (p = 0.003) from willingness to call cribriform cancer (only 3 cases had mucin). Lumen number was associated with cribriform consensus (p = 0.0006), and all consensus cases had ≥9 lumens. Predominant papillary pattern or an irregular outer boundary detracted (p = NS). Invasive cribriform carcinoma should have absence of intervening stroma, and usually neither papillary pattern, irregular outer boundary, nor very few lumens. Setting the criteria for cribriform will help prevent over- or undercalling this important finding.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Consensus; Humans; Male; Mucins; Neoplasm Grading; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Pathologists; Photomicrography; Prognosis; Prostatic Neoplasms; Societies, Medical; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urologists
PubMed: 33780691
DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2021.151733 -
Polimery W Medycynie 2020Plant-extract-reduced metal nanoparticles provide means of overcoming microbial resistance. Incorporating them into appropriate pharmaceutical formulations will enhance...
BACKGROUND
Plant-extract-reduced metal nanoparticles provide means of overcoming microbial resistance. Incorporating them into appropriate pharmaceutical formulations will enhance their portability and ease of administration.
OBJECTIVES
To synthesize silver nanoparticles using methanol extracts of the seeds of Blighia sapida as capping agents and formulating the products in antimicrobial films.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Phytochemical screening of the methanol extract of Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig (ackee) seeds was performed and its antioxidant properties were determined using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay. The green synthesis of ackee seed extract silver nanoparticles (ASAgNPs) was accomplished with reacting 1 mM of aqueous silver nitrate (AgNO3) and the methanol extract in a flask; the bioreduction was performed at 37°C for 72 h. The resulting nanoparticles were lyophilized and characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and photomicrography. The nanoparticles were further formulated into films using starch and carboxymethyl cellulose using the solvent evaporation method. The extract, biosynthesized nanoparticles and film formulations were screened for antimicrobial activity against several pathogens using the agar well diffusion method.
RESULTS
The methanol seed extracts of the ackee fruit contained saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and anthraquinones. The extract exhibited significant antioxidant properties. The nanoparticles and film formulations had a broader range of activity against microbes than the plant extract, exhibiting significant activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 700728, Salmonella typhi ATCC 14028, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. Activity was also observed with Candida krusei, C. albicans, and Penicillium sp. It is noteworthy that this last organism showed resistance to fluconazole.
CONCLUSIONS
Ackee seed extract silver nanoparticles exhibited a synergistic antimicrobial activity against several pathogens. Film formulations of the nanoparticles retained this antimicrobial activity and allowed the product to be presented in a consumer-ready form.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Blighia; Metal Nanoparticles; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pichia; Plant Extracts; Seeds; Silver; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 33768737
DOI: 10.17219/pim/130388 -
Data in Brief Apr 2021From samples of the Paleozoic Tamatán Group (Huizachal-Peregrina Anticlinorium, Tamaulipas, Mexico), petrographic (qualitative and modal) and geochemical analyses...
From samples of the Paleozoic Tamatán Group (Huizachal-Peregrina Anticlinorium, Tamaulipas, Mexico), petrographic (qualitative and modal) and geochemical analyses (major, trace, and rare earth elements) were conducted. The first U-Pb geochronological data on detrital zircons of the Tamatán Group were generated using four samples. The data presented here contains a broad overview of photomicrography, recalculated modal point-count data, raw geochemical data, and simple statistics of selected geochemical parameters. The data presented in this article are interpreted and discussed in the research article titled "Provenance and tectonic setting of the Tamatán Paleozoic sequence, NE Mexico: Implications for the closure of the Rheic Ocean at the northwestern part of Gondwana" [1].
PubMed: 33718541
DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.106846