Selective depletion of kisspeptin neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in early juvenile life reduces pubertal LH secretion and delays puberty onset in mice.

Puberty is the critical developmental transition to reproductive capability driven by the activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. The complex neural mechanisms underlying pubertal activation of GnRH secretion still remain unknown, yet likely include kisspeptin neurons. However, kisspeptin neurons reside in several hypothalamic areas and the specific kisspeptin population timing pubertal onset remains undetermined. To investigate this, we strategically capitalized on the differential ontological expression of the Kiss1 gene in different hypothalamic nuclei to selectively ablate just arcuate kisspeptin neurons (aka KNDy neurons) during the early juvenile period, well before puberty, while sparing RP3V kisspeptin neurons. Both male and female transgenic mice with a majority of their KNDy neurons ablated (KNDyABL) by diphtheria toxin treatment in juvenile life demonstrated significantly delayed puberty onset and lower peripubertal LH secretion than controls. In adulthood, KNDyABL mice demonstrated normal in vivo LH pulse frequency with lower basal and peak LH levels, suggesting that only a small subset of KNDy neurons is sufficient for normal GnRH pulse timing but more KNDy cells are needed to secrete normal LH concentrations. Unlike prior KNDy ablation studies in rats, there was no alteration in the occurrence or magnitude of estradiol-induced LH surges in KNDyABL female mice, indicating that a complete KNDy neuronal population is not essential for normal LH surge generation. This study teases apart the contributions of different kisspeptin neural populations to the control of puberty onset, demonstrating that a majority of KNDy neurons in the arcuate nucleus are necessary for the proper timing of puberty in both sexes.

Efficacy and tolerance of intravenous methylprednisolone pulses in children with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia requiring respiratory support.

OBJECTIVES: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that affects premature babies and contributes to their morbidity. French BPD guidelines suggest the use of intravenous methylprednisolone pulses (IVMP) for those who require respiratory support (RS) following 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). However, there is scant data on the efficacy and tolerance for this indication. Our objectives were to assess the efficacy and tolerance of IVMP in patients with severe BPD requiring RS. STUDY AND DESIGN: This retrospective observational study included preterm infants (<32 weeks gestational age) treated by IVMP between January 2016 and March 2021, in a single tertiary care hospital. The primary endpoint was signified by changes in the Pulmonary Severity Score (PSS). Our secondary endpoints were changes in RS and the tolerance of IVMP. RESULTS: Data of 14 children with BPD under RS were reviewed. Their median [IQR] gestational age at birth was (26[26-29.5] weeks). After IVMP administration, the PSS did not improve significantly from baseline day 0 (D0) (0.85[0.55-1.15]) to D7 (0.74 [0.48-1.00]) or Month 1 (1.02 [0.57-1.48]). Three children (21%) experienced a decrease in RS in the following month of IVMP. There was no negative short-term impact on growth. Five infants presented infectious complications. The development quotient was measured in 5 children at 2 years of age. CONCLUSION: In our study, IVMP did not improve PSS and it was associated with a high number of infections. Other studies are needed to better define the place of IVMP in these infants.

Impact of a Pulse-Enriched Human Cuisine on Functional Attributes of the Gut Microbiome Using a Preclinical Model of Dietary-Induced Chronic Diseases.

Introducing grain legumes, i.e., pulses, into any food pattern effectively increases dietary fiber and other bioactive food components of public health concern; however, the impact depends on the amount consumed. Given the convergence of preclinical and clinical data indicating that intake of at least 300 g (1.5 cup) of cooked pulse per day has clinically observable benefit, the feasibility for a typical consumer was demonstrated by creation of a fourteen-day menu plan that met this criterion. This menu plan, named Bean Cuisine, was comprised of a combination of five cooked pulses: dry beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, dry peas, and lentils. As reported herein, the impact of each menu day of the fourteen-day plan on gut microbial composition and predicted function was evaluated in female C57BL/6J mice, a strain commonly used in studies of metabolic dysfunction-associated chronic diseases. We report that pulse-related effects were observed across a wide variety of food item combinations. In comparison to a pulse-free human cuisine, all pulse menu days enriched for a gut ecosystem were associated with changes in predicted metabolic pathways involving amino acids (lysine, tryptophan, cysteine), short-chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate), and vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12, K2) albeit via different combinations of microbiota, according to the PICRUSt2 estimates. The predicted metabolic functions correlating with the various pulses in the menus, indicate the value of a food pattern comprised of all pulse types consumed on a regular basis. This type of multi-pulse food pattern has the potential to enhance the taxonomic and functional diversity of the gut microbiome as a means of strengthening the resilience of the gut ecosystem to the challenges associated with the daily activities of living.

Lens Fragmentation with Picosecond Laser Pulses After Artificial Cataract Induction with Microwaves.

Objectives: In this work we demonstrate the first laboratory study results of lens fragmentation with low-energy picosecond ultrashort laser pulses after artificial induction of cataract with microwave radiation on an ex vivo animal model. Background: This method will be evaluated with regard to the further development of lens fragmentation with novel ultrashort picosecond laser systems instead of ultrasonic phacoemulsification or the significantly more complex femtosecond laser fragmentation. Methods: As samples we used postmortem porcine eyes. The lenses were dissected and then irradiated in a microwave oven for artificial cataract induction. Subsequent computer-driven lens fragmentation was performed with a 12 ps, 1064 nm pulsed laser source with 100 µJ pulse energy, and 10 kHz pulse repetition rate. Results: Both the artificial cataract induction and the lens fragmentation were demonstrated. When inducing cataract, different degrees/stages of opaqueness and hardness could be achieved with different irradiation times and methods. The fragmentation with 12 ps pulses led to good results with regard to ablation depth and rate, especially for the softer lenses. Conclusions: As could be shown, low-energy picosecond ultrashort laser pulses are feasible for cataractous lens fragmentation on an ex vivo animal model with artificial cataract induction. Thus, this technique may influence future cataract surgeries by possibly being an alternative or extension to state-of-the-art methods. This will be evaluated with further tests and studies.

Targeted inhibition of kisspeptin neurons reverses hyperandrogenemia and abnormal hyperactive LH secretion in a preclinical mouse model of polycystic ovary syndrome.

STUDY QUESTION: Do hyperactive kisspeptin neurons contribute to abnormally high LH secretion and downstream hyperandrogenemia in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-like conditions and can inhibition of kisspeptin neurons rescue such endocrine impairments? SUMMARY ANSWER: Targeted inhibition of endogenous kisspeptin neuron activity in a mouse model of PCOS reduced the abnormally hyperactive LH pulse secretion and hyperandrogenemia to healthy control levels. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: PCOS is a reproductive disorder characterized by hyperandrogenemia, anovulation, and/or polycystic ovaries, along with a hallmark feature of abnormal LH hyper-pulsatility, but the mechanisms underlying the endocrine impairments remain unclear. A chronic letrozole (LET; aromatase inhibitor) mouse model recapitulates PCOS phenotypes, including polycystic ovaries, anovulation, high testosterone, and hyperactive LH pulses. LET PCOS-like females also have increased hypothalamic kisspeptin neuronal activation which may drive their hyperactive LH secretion and hyperandrogenemia, but this has not been tested. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Transgenic KissCRE+/hM4Di female mice or littermates Cre- controls were treated with placebo, or chronic LET (50 µg/day) to induce a PCOS-like phenotype, followed by acute (once) or chronic (2 weeks) clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) exposure to chemogenetically inhibit kisspeptin cells (n = 6 to 10 mice/group). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Key endocrine measures, including in vivo LH pulse secretion patterns and circulating testosterone levels, were assessed before and after selective kisspeptin neuron inhibition and compared between PCOS groups and healthy controls. Alterations in body weights were measured and pituitary and ovarian gene expression was determined by qRT-PCR. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Acute targeted inhibition of kisspeptin neurons in PCOS mice successfully lowered the abnormally hyperactive LH pulse secretion (P < 0.05). Likewise, chronic selective suppression of kisspeptin neuron activity reversed the previously high LH and testosterone levels (P < 0.05) down to healthy control levels and rescued reproductive gene expression (P < 0. 05). LARGE SCALE DATA: N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Ovarian morphology was not assessed in this study. Additionally, mouse models can offer mechanistic insights into neuroendocrine processes in PCOS-like conditions but may not perfectly mirror PCOS in women. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: These data support the hypothesis that overactive kisspeptin neurons can drive neuroendocrine PCOS-like impairments, and this may occur in PCOS women. Our findings complement recent clinical investigations using NKB receptor antagonists to lower LH in PCOS women and suggest that pharmacological dose-dependent modulation of kisspeptin neuron activity may be a valuable future therapeutic target to clinically treat hyperandrogenism and lower elevated LH in PCOS women. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This research was supported by NIH grants R01 HD111650, R01 HD090161, R01 HD100580, P50 HD012303, R01 AG078185, and NIH R24 HD102061, and a pilot project award from the British Society for Neuroendocrinology. There are no competing interests.

Norepinephrine Neurons in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Suppress Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in Female Mice.

Stress impairs fertility, at least in part, via inhibition of gonadotropin secretion. Luteinizing hormone (LH) is an important gonadotropin that is released in a pulsatile pattern in males and in females throughout the majority of the ovarian cycle. Several models of stress, including acute metabolic stress, suppress LH pulses via inhibition of neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus that coexpress kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin (termed KNDy cells) which form the pulse generator. The mechanism for inhibition of KNDy neurons during stress, however, remains a significant outstanding question. Here, we investigated a population of catecholamine neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), marked by expression of the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), in female mice. First, we found that a subpopulation of DBH neurons in the NTS is activated (express c-Fos) during metabolic stress. Then, using chemogenetics, we determined that activation of these cells is sufficient to suppress LH pulses, augment corticosterone secretion, and induce sickness-like behavior. In subsequent studies, we identified evidence for suppression of KNDy cells (rather than downstream signaling pathways) and determined that the suppression of LH pulses was not dependent on the acute rise in glucocorticoids. Together these data support the hypothesis that DBH cells in the NTS are important for regulation of neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress.

Stability of Buriti Oil Microencapsulated in Mixtures of Azuki and Lima Bean Flours with Maltodextrin.

Buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) is rich in carotenoids, mainly ß-carotene, and has great value for application as a food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic ingredient, as well as a natural pigment. Microencapsulation is a promising technique to protect compounds sensitive to degradation such as ß-carotene. Materials composed of carbohydrates and proteins, such as azuki bean (Vigna angularis L.) and lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) flours, are alternative matrices for microencapsulation, which additionally provide good amounts of nutrients. In combination with maltodextrin, the flours represent a protective barrier in stabilizing lipophilic compounds such as buriti oil for subsequent spray drying. In this work, the performance of mixtures of maltodextrin with whole azuki and lima bean flours was evaluated in the microencapsulation of buriti oil. The microcapsules showed good results for solubility (>80%), hygroscopicity (~7%), encapsulation efficiency (43.52 to 51.94%), and carotenoid retention (64.13 to 77.49%.) After 77 days of storage, the microcapsules produced maintained 87.79% and 90.16% of carotenoids, indicating that the powders have high potential for application as encapsulants in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

The Antagonistic and Synergistic Role of Fe3+ Compounds in Chemo- and Electrochemotherapy in Human Colon Cancer In Vitro.

Colon cancer (CC) management includes surgery, radio- and chemotherapy based on treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or its derivatives. However, its application is limited to low-grade carcinomas. Thus, much research has been conducted to introduce new techniques and drugs to the therapy. CC mostly affects older people suffering from cardiac diseases, where iron compounds are commonly used. Ferric citrate and iron (III)-EDTA complexes have proven to be effective in colon cancer in vitro. This study aimed to determine the potency and action of iron-containing compounds in colon cancer treatment by chemo- and electrochemotherapy in both nano- and microsecond protocols. The viability of the cells was assessed after standalone iron (III) citrate and iron (III)-EDTA incubation. Both compounds were also assessed with 5-FU to determine the combination index. Additionally, frataxin expression was taken as the quantitative response to the exposition of iron compounds. Each of the substances exhibited a cytotoxic effect on the LoVo cell line. Electroporation with standalone drugs revealed the potency of 5-FU and iron(III)-EDTA in CC treatment. The combination of 5-FU with iron(III)-EDTA acted synergistically, increasing the viability of the cells in the nanosecond electrochemotherapy protocol. Iron(III)-EDTA decreased the frataxin expression, thus inducing ferroptosis. Iron(III) citrate induced the progression of cancer; therefore, it should not be considered as a potential therapeutic option. The relatively low stability of iron(III) citrate leads to the delivery of citrate anions to cancer cells, which could increase the Krebs cycle rate and promote progression.

Legumes and pulses - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Consumption of legumes and pulses is associated with various health outcomes. Therefore, when updating the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR), summarizing the best available evidence on key health outcomes regarded as relevant for the Nordic and Baltics related to the consumption of legumes was essential. The aim of this scoping review was to evaluate the updated evidence on the effect of the consumption of legumes and pulses on various health outcomes, as well as their dose-response relationship in updated systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The scoping review is built on a de novo systematic review published in 2023 and additional searches on the consumption of legumes and pulses and its various health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Current available evidence shows that the consumption of legumes and pulses is associated with a lower risk of several cancers (evidence: low-moderate), and lower all-cause mortality (evidence: moderate). The associations with CVDs are neutral or inverse, with studies generally showing favourable changes in biomarkers for CVDs. Legume consumption is associated with a lower risk of obesity (evidence: low). For type 2 diabetes, no association was found with incidence, but trials on consumption of legumes and pulses and biomarkers generally indicated protective effects. Overall, the current evidence supports dietary recommendations to increase the consumption of legumes and pulses.

Effects of electromagnetic pulses, exosomes inhibition and their coaction on A549 cells.

Mounting literature indicates that electromagnetic pulses (EMP) is the promising modality to treat cancers with advantages such as noninvasiveness and few side-effects, but its appropriate parameters and underlying mechanisms such as its influence on tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate effects of EMP, exosome inhibition and their coaction on A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. A549 cells were randomly divided into control group, GW4869 group treated by 20 µM GW4869, vehicle group treated by dimethyl sulfoxide, EMP group treated by EMP exposure, and EMPG group treated by EMP exposure combined with 20 µM GW4869. After EMP exposure, cell proliferation was determined by CCK8 assay, cell cycle and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and cell migration was determined by transwell assay. The results showed that EMP or exosomes inhibition did not affect cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and cell migration (p > 0.05), but cell migration in EMPG group was significantly decreased compared with vehicle group (p < 0.05). We concluded that under the experimental condition, EMP or GW4869 alone had no effects on behaviors of A549 cells, but their coaction could effectively inhibit the migration of A549 cells.

Talc and calcium carbonate inclusions in direct expanded pea starch extrudates exhibit different behavior under increasing screw speeds.

The ability to modulate direct expanded product structures improves the versatility and range of product applications. The effect of nucleating agents, namely, talc and calcium carbonate (CC), on the expansion characteristics of pea starch extrudates as impacted by screw speed was explored. Pea starch blends with increasing levels of nucleating agents (0.25%, 1%, and 2%) at 18% moisture (w.b.) were extruded across a range of screw speeds (150, 250, 350, and 450 rpm). The water absorption index, water solubility index (WSI), expansion ratio (ER), unit density, and cell count were determined to evaluate the performance of nucleating agents. The nucleating efficiency of CC, as assessed by cell count, improved with increasing screw speeds. In contrast, the nucleating efficiency of talc was influenced by inclusion levels irrespective of screw speed. ER values ranged from 2.10 to 2.88, where higher nucleating agent inclusions and screw speeds corresponded with lower ER values. Increased nucleating agents and screw speeds corresponded to higher WSI values suggesting the nucleating agents promoted starch degradation. The nucleating agents appeared to promote flow instabilities indicated upon assessment of the extrudate surface. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provides helpful information on the expanded extrudate structure of pea starch as influenced by screw speed and nucleating agents. These findings may help the food industry select processing parameters and appropriate nucleating agent inclusion levels when producing new expanded products with unique textures.

Changes in Gene Expression After Exposing Arabidopsis thaliana Plants to Nanosecond High Amplitude Electromagnetic Field Pulses.

The biological effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields due to wireless technologies and connected devices are a subject of particular research interest. Ultrashort high-amplitude electromagnetic field pulses delivered to biological samples using immersed electrodes in a dedicated cuvette have widely demonstrated their effectiveness in triggering several cell responses including increased cytosolic calcium concentration and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In contrast, the effects of these pulses are poorly documented when electromagnetic pulses are delivered through an antenna. Here we exposed Arabidopsis thaliana plants to 30,000 pulses (237 kV m-1 , 280 ps rise-time, duration of 500 ps) emitted through a Koshelev antenna and monitored the consequences of electromagnetic fields exposure on the expression levels of several key genes involved in calcium metabolism, signal transduction, ROS, and energy status. We found that this treatment was mostly unable to trigger significant changes in the messenger RNA accumulation of calmodulin, Zinc-Finger protein ZAT12, NADPH oxidase/respiratory burst oxidase homolog (RBOH) isoforms D and F, Catalase (CAT2), glutamate-cystein ligase (GSH1), glutathione synthetase (GSH2), Sucrose non-fermenting-related Kinase 1 (SnRK1) and Target of rapamycin (TOR). In contrast, Ascorbate peroxidases APX-1 and APX-6 were significantly induced 3 h after the exposure. These results suggest that this treatment, although quite strong in amplitude, is mostly ineffective in inducing biological effects at the transcriptional level when delivered by an antenna. © 2023 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Optimal Irreversible Electroporation Combined with Nano-Enabled Immunomodulatory to Boost Systemic Antitumor Immunity.

In this work, we proposed nµPEF, a novel pulse configuration combining nanosecond and microsecond pulses (nµPEF), to enhance tumor ablation in irreversible electroporation (IRE) for oncological therapy. nµPEF demonstrated improved efficacy in inducing immunogenic cell death, positioning it as a potential candidate for next-generation ablative therapy. However, the immune response elicited by nµPEF alone was insufficient to effectively suppress distant tumors. To address this limitation, we developed PPR@CM-PD1, a genetically engineered nanovesicle. PPR@CM-PD1 employed a polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid-glycolic acid (PEG-PLGA) nanoparticle encapsulating the immune adjuvant imiquimod and coated with a genetically engineered cell membrane expressing programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1). This design allowed PPR@CM-PD1 to target both the innate immune system through toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) agonism and the adaptive immune system through programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD1/PDL1) checkpoint blockade. In turn, nµPEF facilitated intratumoral infiltration of PPR@CM-PD1 by modulating the tumor stroma. The combination of nµPEF and PPR@CM-PD1 generated a potent and systemic antitumor immune response, resulting in remarkable suppression of both nµPEF-treated and untreated distant tumors (abscopal effects). This interdisciplinary approach presents a promising perspective for oncotherapy and holds great potential for future clinical applications.

Short and long range 2D 15N-15N NMR correlations among peptide groups by novel solid state dipolar mixing schemes.

A recently developed homonuclear dipolar recoupling scheme, Adiabatic Linearly FREquency Swept reCOupling (AL FRESCO), was applied to record two-dimensional (2D) 15N-15N correlations on uniformly 15N-labeled GB1 powders. A major feature exploited in these 15N-15N correlations was AL FRESCO's remarkably low RF power demands, which enabled seconds-long mixing schemes when establishing direct correlations. These 15N-15N mixing schemes proved efficient regardless of the magic-angle spinning (MAS) rate and, being nearly free from dipolar truncation effects, they enabled the detection of long-range, weak dipolar couplings, even in the presence of strong short-range dipolar couplings. This led to a connectivity information that was significantly better than that obtained with spontaneously proton-driven, 15N spin-diffusion experiments. An indirect approach producing long-range 15N-15N correlations was also tested, relying on short (ms-long) 1HN-1HN mixings schemes while applying AL FRESCO chirped pulses along the 15N channel. These indirect mixing schemes produced numerous long-distance Ni-Ni±n (n = 2 - 5) correlations, that might be useful for characterizing three-dimensional arrangements in proteins. Once again, these AL FRESCO mediated experiments proved more informative than variants based on spin-diffusion-based 1HN-1HN counterparts.

Therapeutic perspectives of high pulse repetition rate electroporation.

Electroporation, a technique that uses electrical pulses to temporarily or permanently destabilize cell membranes, is increasingly used in cancer treatment, gene therapy, and cardiac tissue ablation. Although the technique is efficient, patients report discomfort and pain. Current strategies that aim to minimize pain and muscle contraction rely on the use of pharmacological agents. Nevertheless, technical improvements might be a valuable tool to minimize adverse events, which occur during the application of standard electroporation protocols. One recent technological strategy involves the use of high pulse repetition rate. The emerging technique, also referred as "high frequency" electroporation, employs short (micro to nanosecond) mono or bipolar pulses at repetition rate ranging from a few kHz to a few MHz. This review provides an overview of the historical background of electric field use and its development in therapies over time. With the aim to understand the rationale for novel electroporation protocols development, we briefly describe the physiological background of neuromuscular stimulation and pain caused by exposure to pulsed electric fields. Then, we summarize the current knowledge on electroporation protocols based on high pulse repetition rates. The advantages and limitations of these protocols are described from the perspective of their therapeutic application.

Negative effects of cancellation during nanosecond range High-Frequency calcium based electrochemotherapy in vitro.

Drug delivery using nanosecond pulsed electric fields is a new branch of electroporation-based treatments, which potentially can substitute European standard operating procedures for electrochemotherapy. In this work, for the first time, we characterize the effects of ultra-fast repetition frequency (1-2.5 MHz) nanosecond pulses (5-9 kV/cm, 200 and 400 ns) in the context of nano-electrochemotherapy with calcium. Additionally, we investigate the feasibility of bipolar symmetric (↑200 ns + ↓200 ns) and asymmetric (↑200 ns + ↓400 ns) nanosecond protocols for calcium delivery. The effects of bipolar cancellation and the influence of interphase delay (200 ns) are overviewed. Human lung cancer cell lines A549 and H69AR were used as a model. It was shown that unipolar pulses delivered at high frequency are effective for electrochemotherapy with a significant improvement in efficiency when the delay between separate pulses is reduced. Bipolar symmetric pulses trigger the cancellation phenomenon limiting applications for drug delivery and can be compensated by the asymmetry of the pulse (↑200 ns + ↓400 ns or ↑400 ns + ↓200 ns). The results of this study can be successfully used to derive a new generation of nsPEF protocols for successful electrochemotherapy treatments.

B2LiVe, a label-free 1D-NMR method to quantify the binding of amphitropic peptides or proteins to membrane vesicles.

Amphitropic proteins and peptides reversibly partition from solution to membrane, a key process that regulates their functions. Experimental approaches classically used to measure protein partitioning into lipid bilayers, such as fluorescence and circular dichroism, are hardly usable when the peptides or proteins do not exhibit significant polarity and/or conformational changes upon membrane binding. Here, we describe binding to lipid vesicles (B2LiVe), a simple, robust, and widely applicable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method to determine the solution-to-membrane partitioning of unlabeled proteins or peptides. B2LiVe relies on previously described proton 1D-NMR fast-pulsing techniques. Membrane partitioning induces a large line broadening, leading to a loss of protein signals; therefore, the decrease of the NMR signal directly measures the fraction of membrane-bound protein. The method uses low polypeptide concentrations and has been validated on several membrane-interacting polypeptides, ranging from 3 to 54 kDa, with membrane vesicles of different sizes and various lipid compositions.

Dietary practice and nutritional status and the respective effect of pulses-based nutrition education among adolescent girls in Northwest Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Thinness and stunting are the most severe public health problems among adolescent girls in Ethiopia. An inadequate intake of protein-source foods is the most critical cause, mainly due to the non-affordability of animal-origin foods. However, research into what extent improving pulses-based food consumption could contribute to decreasing the magnitude of protein-energy undernutrition is limited. Objective: This trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pulses-based nutrition education in reducing the proportion of thinness among adolescent girls. Methods: A two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among adolescent girls in Northwest Ethiopia from December 2021 to June 2022. A total of 602 adolescent girls from four schools were enrolled in the trial. Schools were assigned to intervention and control groups using the stratified cluster randomization method. Pulses-based nutrition education was the intervention, whereas the usual dietary practice of adolescent girls was the comparator. The education was delivered over 4 weeks on a 45-60-min session per week basis. Thinness was the primary outcome of the trial, measured by anthropometry. An intention-to-treat analysis method was used. A log-binomial regression model was fitted to the data. Relative risk with the respective confidence interval and value of p was calculated. A value of p < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Stata 16 software was used for the analysis. Results: About 89.37% of the participants in the intervention group and 92.36% in the control group completed the trial. The pulses-based nutrition education intervention did not show a significant difference in reducing the proportion of thinness among the participants in the intervention group compared to the participants in the control group even though a significant difference was observed in terms of the consumption of pulses-based food. Conclusion: The present trial was statistically non-significant in reducing thinness among adolescent girls. Similar studies that utilize objective methods for ascertaining pulses-based food consumption need to be conducted.Clinical trial registration: https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/Search.aspx, the trial was registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202111605102515) on November 12, 2021.

Molecular Dynamics Modeling of Pulsed Laser Fragmentation of Solid and Porous Si Nanoparticles in Liquid Media.

The production of non-toxic and homogeneous colloidal solutions of nanoparticles (NPs) for biomedical applications is of extreme importance nowadays. Among the various methods for generation of NPs, pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) has proven itself as a powerful and efficient tool in biomedical fields, allowing chemically pure silicon nanoparticles to be obtained. For example, laser-synthesized silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) are widely used as contrast agents for bio visualization, as effective sensitizers of radiofrequency hyperthermia for cancer theranostics, in photodynamic therapy, as carriers of therapeutic radionuclides in nuclear nanomedicine, etc. Due to a number of complex and interrelated processes involved in the laser ablation phenomenon, however, the final characteristics of the resulting particles are difficult to control, and the obtained colloidal solutions frequently have broad and multimodal size distribution. Therefore, the subsequent fragmentation of the obtained NPs in the colloidal solutions due to pulsed laser irradiation can be utilized. The resulting NPs' characteristics, however, depend on the parameters of laser irradiation as well as on the irradiated material and surrounding media properties. Thus, reliable knowledge of the mechanism of NP fragmentation is necessary for generation of a colloidal solution with NPs of predesigned properties. To investigate the mechanism of a laser-assisted NP fragmentation process, in this work, we perform a large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) modeling of FS laser interaction with colloidal solution of Si NPs. The obtained NPs are then characterized by their shape and morphological properties. The corresponding conclusion about the relative input of the properties of different laser-induced processes and materials to the mechanism of NP generation is drawn.

Evaluation of effectiveness of school-based nutrition education in improving the consumption of pulses-based food among female adolescents in Northwest Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Protein undernutrition is a prevalent health problem in Ethiopia severely affecting the reproductive outcome of women. This is mainly because of inadequate consumption of protein due to the high cost of animal-origin food and the lack of knowledge about the benefits and the methods of preparation of pulses-based foods. Therefore, this trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition education in improving the consumption of pulses-based foods among female adolescents. METHODS: A two-arm pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among female adolescents in Northwest Ethiopia. Clusters were schools assigned into intervention and control groups by cluster randomization. The trial participants were female adolescents. The intervention was pulses-based nutrition education, and the comparator was the usual dietary practice of adolescent girls. The education was delivered over four weeks on a 45-60 min session per week basis. The primary outcome of the intervention was pulses-based food consumption, and the secondary outcomes were knowledge and attitude about pulses food. Data on the outcome and the confounding variables were collected at baseline and end-line of the intervention. The analysis was based on intention-to-treat analysis, and a log-binomial logistic regression model was fitted to the data to calculate relative risk with the corresponding p value adjusted for baseline characteristics. The intervention was considered effective when the p value was < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 269 intervention and 278 control participants from the four clusters completed the trial making response rates of 92.1% and 95.2%, respectively. The pulses-based nutrition education enabled participants in the intervention group to maintain their pulses-based food consumption state, while participants in the control group significantly reduced their consumption by about threefold [ARR; 95% CI 2.99 (1.87, 4.79)] from harvesting to non-harvesting season. The consumption of pulses-based food was higher by 16% among the intervention participants as compared to the control participants [ARD; 95% CI 0.16 (0.10, 0.21)]. CONCLUSION: Pulses-based nutrition education is effective in improving the consumption of pulses-based food among female adolescents. Therefore, policies and strategies are required to integrate this intervention in the school nutrition program. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR202111813445259) on 02 November 2021.