Morphological processing

Light as a source of information regulates morphological and physiological processes of fungi, including development, primary and secondary metabolism, or the circadian rhythm. Light signaling in fungi depends on photoreceptors and downstream components that amplify the signal to govern the expression of an array of genes. Here, we investigated the effects of red and far-red light in the mycoparasite Trichoderma guizhouense on its mycoparasitic potential. We show that the invasion strategy of T. guizhouense depends on the attacked species and that red and far-red light increased aerial hyphal growth and led to faster overgrowth or invasion of the colonies...

The current study report that the production of carbon quantum dots from Wrightia coccinea (WC) leaves using an eco-friendly, one-pot process. The structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the CDs made from W. coccinea leaves by hydrothermal treatment at 200 °C for six hours were assessed using a variety of spectroscopic and electron microscopy techniques. The average size of CD was found to be approximately 5 nm using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the quantum yield of the produced CD was 15...

Medicinal plants are rich in a variety of secondary metabolites with therapeutic value. However, the yields of these metabolites are generally very low, making their extraction both time- and labour-consuming. Transcription factor (TF)-targeted secondary metabolic engineering can efficiently regulate the biosynthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants. v-Myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) TFs are involved in regulating various morphological and developmental processes, responses to stress, and the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in plants...

Understanding the relationship between the cells and their location within each tissue is critical to uncover the biological processes associated with normal development and disease pathology. Spatial transcriptomics is a powerful method that enables the analysis of the whole transcriptome within tissue samples, thus providing information about the cellular gene expression and the histological context in which the cells reside. While this method has been extensively utilized for many soft tissues, its application for the analyses of hard tissues such as bone has been challenging...

Geopolymers are alkaline-activated aluminosilicate binders recognized as a promising alternative to traditional Portland cement due to their significantly lower greenhouse emissions, energy consumption, and carbon footprint. However, the challenge is meeting or exceeding the strength of Portland cement concrete while being prepared within a desired setting time and possessing workable rheology. A "water-in-air" Pickering emulsion, also called dry water, was prepared by stabilizing water droplets with hydrophobic nano silica and using them to control the geopolymer's strength, setting time, and workability...

Dye-sensitized solar cells assembled with aqueous electrolytes are emerging as a sustainable photovoltaic technology suitable for safe indoor and portable electronics use. While the scientific community is exploring unconventional materials for preparing electrodes and electrolytes, this work presents the first study on zinc oxide as a semiconductor material to fabricate photoanodes for aqueous solar cells. Different morphologies ( i.e. , nanoparticles, multipods, and desert roses) are synthesized, characterized, and tested in laboratory-scale prototypes...

Increased prevalence of multidrug resistant bacterial infections has sparked interest in alternative antimicrobials, including bacteriophages (phages). Limited understanding of the phage infection process hampers our ability to utilize phages to their full therapeutic potential. To understand phage infection dynamics we performed proteomics on Enterococcus faecalis infected with the phage VPE25. We discovered numerous uncharacterized phage proteins are produced during phage infection of Enterococcus faecalis ...

Inhibitory circuits in the mammalian olfactory bulb (OB) dynamically reformat olfactory information as it propagates from peripheral receptors to downstream cortex. To gain mechanistic insight into how specific OB interneuron types support this sensory processing, we examine unitary synaptic interactions between excitatory mitral and tufted cells (MTCs), the OB projection cells, and a conserved population of anaxonic external plexiform layer interneurons (EPL-INs) using pair and quartet whole-cell recordings in acute mouse brain slices...

OBJECTIVE: Seminal cryopreservation causes significant damage to the sperm; therefore, different methods of cryopreservation have been studied. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of density gradient processing and washing/centrifugation with seminal plasma removal for cryopreservation in semen parameters. METHODS: Seminal samples of 26 normozoospermic patients were divided into 3 parts: with seminal plasma; after washing/centrifugation; and after selection through density gradient...

Background Forensic odontology has emerged as a crucial method for identifying skeletal or dental remains. Due to the restricted accuracy of current techniques for estimating age at death, researchers have endeavored to illustrate age-related alterations in dental hard tissues. Bone remodeling constitutes an ongoing and intricate process throughout our lifespan. It is believed that morphological changes in the mandible during an individual's lifetime are influenced by both dental condition and the individual's age...

Surface active amine-functionalized silica coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by a simple two-step process for adsorbing CO2 gas from aqueous medium. First, oleic acid (OA) coated iron oxide magnetic particles (denoted as Fe3 O4 -OA) were prepared by a simple coprecipitation method. Then, the surface of the Fe3 O4 -OA particles was coated with silica by using tetraethyl orthosilicate. Finally, aminated Fe3 O4 /SiO2 -NH2 nanoparticles were concomitantly formed by the reactions of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane with silica-coated particles...

Glycogen, a complex branched glucose polymer, is found in animals and bacteria, where it serves as an energy storage molecule. It has linear (1 → 4)-α glycosidic bonds between anhydroglucose monomer units, with branch points connected by (1 → 6)-α bonds. Individual glycogen molecules are referred to as β particles. In organs like the liver and heart, these β particles can bind into larger aggregate α particles, which exhibit a rosette-like morphology...

Effect of complexation of three medium-chain fatty acids (octanoic, decylic and lauric acid, OA, DA and LA, respectively) on structural characteristics, physicochemical properties and digestion behaviors of cassava starch (CS) was investigated. Current study indicated that LA was more easily to combine with CS (complex index 88.9%), followed by DA (80.9%), which was also consistent with their corresponding complexed lipids content. Following the investigation of morphology, short-range ordered structure, helical structure, crystalline/amorphous region and fractal dimension of the various complexes, all cassava starch-fatty acids complexes (CS-FAs) were characterized with a flaked morphology rather than a round morphology in native starch (control CS)...

In the present study, the apoptosis-inducing potential of a chloroform fraction from an alcoholic extract of Vallaris solanacea aerial parts (VS) was examined using human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. We discovered a concentration and time-dependent decrease in cell growth using MTT assay. Scanning electron micrographs and fluorescence microscopy were used to observe several well-documented morphological and nuclear alterations, such as reduction in cell size, chromatin condensation, fragmentation, and the creation of cell surface blebs...

Polylactic acid (PLA) is an eco-friendly material that can help address the problems of petroleum depletion and pollution. Blending renewable biomass materials with PLA to create composite foams with a tunable pore structure, superior performance, and low cost is a green technique for improving the pore structure and mechanical characteristics of single PLA foams. PLA/TP composites were created using melted tomato peel pomace powder (TP), which has a lamellar structure, as a reinforcing agent. Then, the relationship between the vesicle structure, morphology, and properties of the PLA/TP composite foams produced through supercritical CO2 intermittent foaming were investigated...

Naproxen (NPX) as an emerging anthropogenic contaminant was detected in many water sources, which can pose a serious threat to the environment and human health. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) decomposed by Cu(I) has been considered an effective activation method to produce reactive species. However, this decontamination process is restricted by the slow transformation of Cu(II)/Cu(I) by PMS. Herein, new N-(L -cysteine/triazine)-O-(carboxymethyl)-chitosan/cobalt ferrate-rice hull hybrid biocomposite was constructed to anchor the mixed-valent Cu(I)-Cu (II) (CuI, II -CCCF) for removing pharmaceutical pollutants (i...

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that remains the most common malignancy among women worldwide. During genomic analysis of breast tumours, mRNA levels of IQGAP3 were found to be upregulated in triple negative tumours. IQGAP3 was subsequently found to be expressed across a panel of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Depleting expression levels of IQGAP3 delivered elongated cells, disrupted cell migration, and inhibited the ability of cells to form specialised invasive adhesion structures, termed invadopodia...

Novel nanocomposites of poly(ether-ketone) (PEK) reinforced with carbon-coated Nickel nanoparticles (CCNi) were synthesized through a sequential process involving cost-effective ball milling and hot compaction. Scanning electron microscopy revealed an excellent dispersion and a 3-dimensional (3-D) network of CCNi nanoparticles in the matrix, causing a significant improvement in the electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (SE). Carbon coating of about 5 nm thick over Ni nanoparticle probably helps in uniform dispersion, avoids its oxidation and reduces its agglomeration in the matrix...

Nuclear receptor Nur77 plays a pivotal role in immune regulation across various tissues, influencing pro-inflammatory signaling pathways and cellular metabolism. While cellular mechanics have been implicated in inflammation, the contribution of Nur77 to these mechanical processes remains elusive. Macrophages exhibit remarkable plasticity in their morphology and mechanics, enabling them to adapt and execute essential inflammatory functions, such as navigating through inflamed tissue and pathogen engulfment. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms governing these dynamic changes in macrophage mechanics during inflammation remain poorly understood...

PURPOSE: A cataract is a cloudy area in the crystalline lens. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and the second cause of severe vision impairment worldwide. During cataract surgery, the clouded lens is extracted and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens, which restores the optical power. The fabrication of intraocular lenses using existing molding and lathing techniques is a complex and time-consuming process that limits the development of novel materials and designs...