Adsorption of β-Lactoglobulin on Thiol-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica.

SBA-15 mesoporous materials were synthesized with different pore sizes (5 and 10 nm) and thiol-functionalized groups and then characterized to describe their ability to differentially adsorb β-lactoglobulin (BLG), a globular protein with an ellipsoid shape measuring 6.9 nm in length and 3.6 nm in width.

Recognising the importance and impact of Imaging Scientists: Global guidelines for establishing career paths within core facilities.

In the dynamic landscape of scientific research, imaging core facilities are vital hubs propelling collaboration and innovation at the technology development and dissemination frontier. Here, we present a collaborative effort led by Global BioImaging (GBI), introducing international recommendations geared towards elevating the careers of Imaging Scientists in core facilities. Despite the critical role of Imaging Scientists in modern research ecosystems, challenges persist in recognising their value, aligning performance metrics and providing avenues for career progression and job security.

Lipid dysmetabolism in ceruloplasmin-deficient mice revealed both in vivo and ex vivo by MRI, MRS and NMR analyses.

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a ferroxidase that plays a role in cellular iron homeostasis and is mainly expressed in the liver and secreted into the blood. Cp is also produced by adipose tissue, which releases it as an adipokine. Although a dysfunctional interaction of iron with the metabolism of lipids has been associated with several metabolic diseases, the role of Cp in adipose tissue metabolism and in the interplay between hepatocytes and adipocytes has been poorly investigated.

Sub-THz Vibrational Dynamics in Ordered Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles.

The vibrational dynamics in the sub-THz range of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) having ordered cylindrical mesopores was investigated. MCM-41 and SBA-15 particles were synthesized, and their structure was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), low-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), N physisorption analyses, and Raman scattering. Brillouin scattering measurements are reported and enabled determining the stiffness of the silica walls (speed of sound) using finite element calculations for the ordered mesoporous structure.

Pivotal role of the protein corona in the cell uptake of fluorinated nanoparticles with increased sensitivity for F-MR imaging.

cell tracking by non-invasive imaging technologies is needed to accelerate the clinical translation of innovative cell-based therapies. In this regard, F-MRI has recently gained increased attention for unbiased localization of labeled cells over time. To push forward the use of F-MRI for cell tracking, the development of highly performant F-probes is required.

Manipulating multi-spectral slow photons in bilayer inverse opal TiO@BiVO composites for highly enhanced visible light photocatalysis.

Manipulation of light has been proved to be a promising strategy to increase light harvesting in solar-to-chemical energy conversion, especially in photocatalysis. Inverse opal (IO) photonic structures are highly promising for light manipulation as their periodic dielectric structures enable them to slow down light and localize it within the structure, thereby improving light harvesting and photocatalytic efficiency. However, slow photons are confined to narrow wavelength ranges and hence limit the amount of energy that can be captured through light manipulation.

A comprehensive longitudinal study of magnetic resonance imaging identifies novel features of the Mecp2 deficient mouse brain.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder which represents the leading cause of severe incurable intellectual disability in females worldwide. The vast majority of RTT cases are caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene, and preclinical studies on RTT largely benefit from the use of mouse models of Mecp2, which present a broad spectrum of symptoms phenocopying those manifested by RTT patients. Neurons represent the core targets of the pathology; however, neuroanatomical abnormalities that regionally characterize the Mecp2 deficient mammalian brain remain ill-defined.

Superfluorinated Extracellular Vesicles for In Vivo Imaging by F-MRI.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in cell-to-cell communication and have great potential as efficient delivery vectors. However, a better understanding of EV behavior is hampered by the limitations of current imaging tools. In addition, chemical labels present the risk of altering the EV membrane features and, thus, in vivo behavior.

Core-shell polygalacturonate magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and functionalities.

This work aims to synthesize polygalacturonate-based magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (INP-polyGalA). The synthesis consists of the diffusion of both Fe and Fe at a molar ratio of 1:2 through polyGalA solution followed by the addition of an alkaline solution. To form individual nanoparticle materials, the polyGalA concentration needs to be below its overlapping concentration (C*).

Targeted inducible delivery of immunoactivating cytokines reprograms glioblastoma microenvironment and inhibits growth in mouse models.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and lethal brain tumor characterized by a strongly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that represents a barrier also for the development of effective immunotherapies. The possibility to revert this hostile TME by immunoactivating cytokines is hampered by the severe toxicity associated with their systemic administration. Here, we exploited a lentiviral vector-based platform to engineer hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo with the aim of releasing, via their tumor-infiltrating monocyte/macrophage progeny, interferon-α (IFN-α) or interleukin-12 (IL-12) at the tumor site with spatial and temporal selectivity.

T cell therapy against cancer: A predictive diffuse-interface mathematical model informed by pre-clinical studies.

T cell therapy has become a new therapeutic opportunity against solid cancers. Predicting T cell behaviour and efficacy would help therapy optimization and clinical implementation. In this work, we model responsiveness of mouse prostate adenocarcinoma to T cell-based therapies.

Lithium-Sodium Separation by a Lithium Composite Membrane Used in Electrodialysis Process: Concept Validation.

The recent expansion of global Lithium Ion Battery (LIBs) production has generated a significant stress on the lithium demand. One of the means to produce this element is its extraction from different aqueous sources (salars, geothermal water etc.).

Dose-dependent effect of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein on visual function and optic nerve damage in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Female Dark Agouti rats were immunized with increasing doses of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) to develop experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis. Typical EAE motor impairments were assessed daily and noninvasive visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded at baseline and 5 weeks after immunization, with final histopathology of optic nerves (ONs). Immunized rats exhibited a relapsing-remitting clinical course.

JAB1 deletion in oligodendrocytes causes senescence-induced inflammation and neurodegeneration in mice.

Oligodendrocytes are the primary target of demyelinating disorders, and progressive neurodegenerative changes may evolve in the CNS. DNA damage and oxidative stress are considered key pathogenic events, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Moreover, animal models do not fully recapitulate human diseases, complicating the path to effective treatments.

A Hypothalamic-Controlled Neural Reflex Promotes Corneal Inflammation.

Purpose: To test whether an acute corneal injury activates a proinflammatory reflex, involving corneal sensory nerves expressing substance P (SP), the hypothalamus, and the sympathetic nervous system.

Methods: C57BL6/N (wild-type [WT]) and SP-depleted B6.Cg-Tac1tm1Bbm/J (TAC1-KO) mice underwent bilateral corneal alkali burn.

Response Surface Methodology for Boron Removal by Donnan Dialysis: Doehlert Experimental Design.

The removal of boron by Donnan dialysis from aqueous solutions has been studied according to response surface methodology (RSM). First, a preliminary study was performed with two membranes (AFN and ACS) in order to determine the experimental field based on different parameters, such as the pH of the feed compartment, the concentration of counter-ions in the receiver compartment, and the concentration of boron in the feed compartment. The best removal rate of boron was 75% with the AFN membrane, but only 48% with the ACS membrane.

A Bioorthogonal Probe for Multiscale Imaging by F-MRI and Raman Microscopy: From Whole Body to Single Cells.

Molecular imaging techniques are essential tools for better investigating biological processes and detecting disease biomarkers with improvement of both diagnosis and therapy monitoring. Often, a single imaging technique is not sufficient to obtain comprehensive information at different levels. Multimodal diagnostic probes are key tools to enable imaging across multiple scales.

Skeletal Muscle Proteomic Profile Revealed Gender-Related Metabolic Responses in a Diet-Induced Obesity Animal Model.

Obesity is a chronic, complex pathology associated with a risk of developing secondary pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and musculoskeletal disorders. Since skeletal muscle accounts for more than 70% of total glucose disposal, metabolic alterations are strictly associated with the onset of insulin resistance and T2DM. The present study relies on the proteomic analysis of gastrocnemius muscle from 15 male and 15 female C56BL/J mice fed for 14 weeks with standard, 45% or 60% high-fat diets (HFD) adopting a label-free LC-MS/MS approach followed by bioinformatic pathway analysis.

In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the brain of Cdkl5 null mice reveals a metabolic profile indicative of mitochondrial dysfunctions.

Mutations in the X-linked CDKL5 gene cause CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD), a severe neurodevelopmental condition mainly characterized by infantile epileptic encephalopathy, intellectual disability, and autistic features. The molecular mechanisms underlying the clinical symptoms remain largely unknown and the identification of reliable biomarkers in animal models will certainly contribute to increase our comprehension of CDD as well as to assess the efficacy of therapeutic strategies. Here, we used different Magnetic Resonance (MR) methods to disclose structural, functional, or metabolic signatures of Cdkl5 deficiency in the brain of adult mice.

Functionalization of developed bacterial cellulose with magnetite nanoparticles for nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine applications.

This paper deals with the preparation of novel magnetic materials made from tetraaza macrocyclic Schiff base bacterial cellulose ligands with magnetite nanoparticles (FeONPs) through a multi-step procedure for antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities and chemotherapy in cancer treatment. First, the 2,3-dialdehyde bacterial cellulose (DABC) was chemically modified by ethylenediamine (EDA) and benzil (Bzl) in the presence of ferrous ions. Then, the magnetite nanoparticles (FeONPs) was produced inside the complex [Fe(DABC-EDA-Bzl)Cl] through a co-precipitation method.

Fluorinated PLGA Nanoparticles for Enhanced Drug Encapsulation and F NMR Detection.

In the continuous search for multimodal systems with combined diagnostic and therapeutic functions, several efforts have been made to develop multifunctional drug delivery systems. In this work, through a covalent approach, a new class of fluorinated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) co-polymers (F-PLGA) were designed that contain an increasing number of magnetically equivalent fluorine atoms. In particular, two novel compounds, F -PLGA and F -PLGA, were synthesized and their chemical structure and thermal stability were analyzed by solution NMR, DSC, and TGA.

Comparative studies on the adsorption of metal ions from aqueous solutions using various functionalized graphene oxide sheets as supported adsorbents.

Graphene oxide (GO) was chemically modified by bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino groups (BPED) through a multistep procedure. For comparison, and to justify the grafting of BPED groups onto the GO sheets, the GO-based material obtained after each step was used as a solid phase adsorbent for removing Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) metal ions from aqueous solutions. The influence of metal ion concentrations, pH, contact time and temperature on their adsorption onto the GO-based adsorbents was investigated and the GO-EDA-CAC-BPED adsorbent showed the highest ability to adsorb Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) with a concentration of 250 mg.