Effect of Alkyl Sulfate on the Phase Behavior of Microemulsions Stabilized with Monoacylglycerols

In this study the effect of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate SDS) and oils (hydrocarbons: C12–C16) on the formation and phase behavior of the systems of oil/monoacylglycerols (MAG):SDS/propylene glycol/water has been investigated. The effects of the surfactant mixture on the phase behavior and the concentration of water or oil in the systems were studied at three temperatures (50, 55, 60 °C). Electrical conductivity measurement, FT-IR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry methods were applied to determine the structure and type of the microemulsions formed. The dimension of microemulsion droplets was characterized by dynamic light scattering. It has been stated that the concentration of SDS has a strong influence on the shape and extent of the microemulsion areas. Addition of an ionic surfactant to the mixture with MAG promotes an increase in the area of microemulsion formation in the phase diagrams, and these areas of the isotropic region change with the temperature. It was shown that the presence in the systems of a surfactant more hydrophilic than MAG caused an increase in water content in the microemulsions. It was found that, depending on temperature and concentration of the surfactant mixture, it was possible to obtain a W/O type microemulsion with a dispersed particles size distribution ranging from 20 to 50 nm and containing about 17–38% water in the system. Among different alkanes (from C12 to C16), hexadecane embedded microemulsions showed a maximum water solubilization capacity.     

Electronic imaging in cytopathology

Electronic imaging is becoming important for conveying instructional and diagnostic information. This article presents an overview of the acquisition and display of microscopic images for day-to-day cytologic and histologic practice. The devices, software, and methods for image capture and manipulation are described.     

The Role of Mitochondria Dysfunction in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Colorectal Cancer

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the leading gut chronic inflammation disorders, especially prevalent in Western countries. Recent research suggests that mitochondria play a crucial role in IBD development and progression to the more severe disease—colorectal cancer (CRC). In this review, we focus on the role of mitochondrial mutations and dysfunctions in IBD and CRC. In addition, main mitochondria-related molecular pathways involved in IBD to CRC transition are discussed. Additionally, recent publications dedicated to mitochondria-targeted therapeutic approaches to cure IBD and prevent CRC progression are discussed.     

Foliate-Targeting Quantum Dots-β-Cyclodextrin Nanocarrier for Efficient Delivery of Unsymmetrical Bisacridines to Lung and Prostate Cancer Cells

Targeted drug delivery by nanocarriers molecules can increase the efficiency of cancer treatment. One of the targeting ligands is folic acid (FA), which has a high affinity for the folic acid receptors, which are overexpressed in many cancers. Herein, we describe the preparation of the nanoconjugates containing quantum dots (QDs) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with foliate-targeting properties for the delivery of anticancer compound C-2028. C-2028 was bound to the nanoconjugate via an inclusion complex with β-CD. The effect of using FA in QDs-β-CD(C-2028)-FA nanoconjugates on cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and the mechanism of internalization in cancer (H460, Du-145, and LNCaP) and normal (MRC-5 and PNT1A) cells was investigated. The QDs-β-CD(C-2028)-FA were characterized using DLS (dynamic light scattering), ZP (zeta potential), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), and UV-vis spectroscopy. The conjugation of C-2028 with non-toxic QDs or QDs-β-CD-FA did not change the cytotoxicity of this compound. Confocal microscopy studies proved that the use of FA in nanoconjugates significantly increased the amount of delivered compound, especially to cancer cells. QD_green-β-CD(C-2028)-FA enters the cells through multiple endocytosis pathways in different levels, depending on the cell line. To conclude, the use of FA is a good self-navigating molecule in the QDs platform for drug delivery to cancer cells.     

Development of Thermoinks for 4D Direct Printing of Temperature-Induced Self-Rolling Hydrogel Actuators

4D printing has emerged as an important technique for fabricating 3D objects from programmable materials capable of time-dependent reshaping. In the present investigation, novel 4D thermoinks composed of laponite (LAP), an interpenetrating network of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), and alginate (ALG) are developed for direct printing of shape-morphing structures. This approach consists of the design and fabrication of 3D honeycomb-patterned hydrogel discs self-rolling into tubular constructs under the stimulus of temperature. The shape morphing behavior of hydrogels is due to shear-induced anisotropy generated via 3D printing. The compositionally tunable hydrogel discs can be programmed to exhibit different actuation behaviors at different temperatures. Upon immersion in 12 °C water, singly crosslinked sheets roll up into a tubular construct. When transferred to 42 °C water, the tubes first rapidly unfold and then slightly curve up in the opposite direction. Through a dual photocrosslinking of PNIPAAm, it is possible to inverse temperature-dependent shape morphing and induce self-folding at higher and unrolling at lower temperatures. The extensive self-assembling motion is essential to developing thermal actuators with broad applications in, e.g., soft robotics and active implantology, whereas controllable self-rolling of planar hydrogels is of the highest interest to biomedical engineering as it allows for effective fabrication of hollow tubes.     

Use of fluorescent in situ hybridization to detect aneuploidy in cervical dysplasia

An 8 year old girl with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is described. Elevated serum antibody titers suggested recent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. T2-weighted image of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) disclosed multiple lesions of high signal intensity in bilateral basal ganglia and thalami as well as in the white matter. Postcontrast T1-weighted image revealed an enhanced lesion in the deep white matter. She showed rapid clinical improvement in response to corticosteroid therapy. The lesions had disappeared completely on MRI performed 10 weeks after the onset. ADEM is believed to be a demyelinating disorder of probable autoimmune etiology. MRI findings in this case may support the hypothesis that the primary pathological event is vascular injury and demyelination occurs only as a secondary phenomenon.     

Actinobacterial‐mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their activity against pathogenic bacteria

In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesised by using acidophilic actinobacterial SH11 strain isolated from pine forest soil. Isolate SH11 was identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence to Streptomyces kasugaensis M338‐M1^T and S. celluloflavus NRRL B‐2493^T (99.8% similarity, both). Biosynthesised AgNPs were analysed by UV–visible spectroscopy, which revealed specific peak at λ  = 420 nm. Transmission electron microscopy analyses showed polydispersed, spherical nanoparticles with a mean size of 13.2 nm, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of proteins as the capping agents over the surface of AgNPs. The zeta potential was found to be −16.6 mV, which indicated stability of AgNPs. The antibacterial activity of AgNPs from SH11 strain against gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria was estimated using disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration and live/dead analyses. The AgNPs showed the maximum antimicrobial activity against E. coli, followed by B. subtilis and S. aureus. Further, the synergistic effect of AgNPs in combination with commercial antibiotics (kanamycin, ampicillin, tetracycline) was also evaluated against bacterial isolates. The antimicrobial efficacy of antibiotics was found to be enhanced in the presence of AgNPs.Inspec keywords: antibacterial activity, silver, nanoparticles, electrokinetic effects, Fourier transform infrared spectra, microorganisms, nanofabricationOther keywords: actinobacterial mediated synthesis, silver nanoparticles, pathogenic bacteria, biosynthesis, acidophilic actinobacterial SH11 strain, pine forest soil, 16S rRNA gene sequence, Streptomyces kasugaensis M338‐M1T, S. celluloflavus NRRL B‐2493T, UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential, gram positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, disc diffusion, wavelength 420 nm, Ag     

Modulation of Cathodoluminescence by Surface Plasmons in Silver Nanowires

The waveguide modes in chemically-grown silver nanowires on silicon nitride substrates are observed using spectrally- and spatially-resolved cathodoluminescence (CL) excited by high-energy electrons in a scanning electron microscope. The presence of a long-range, travelling surface plasmon mode modulates the coupling efficiency of the incident electron energy into the nanowires, which is observed as oscillations in the measured CL with the point of excitation by the focused electron beam. The experimental data are modeled using the theory of surface plasmon polariton modes in cylindrical metal waveguides, enabling the complex mode wavenumbers and excitation strength of the long-range surface plasmon mode to be extracted. The experiments yield insight into the energy transfer mechanisms between fast electrons and coherent oscillations in surface charge density in metal nanowires and the relative amplitudes of the radiative processes excited in the wire by the electron.