Measurement of skeletal muscle radiation attenuation and basis of its biological variation.

Skeletal muscle contains intramyocellular lipid droplets within the cytoplasm of myocytes as well as intermuscular adipocytes. These depots exhibit physiological and pathological variation which has been revealed with the advent of diagnostic imaging approaches: magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, MR spectroscopy and computed tomography (CT). CT uses computer-processed X-rays and is now being applied in muscle physiology research. The purpose of this review is to present CT methodologies and summarize factors that influence muscle radiation attenuation, a parameter which is inversely related to muscle fat content. Pre-defined radiation attenuation ranges are used to demarcate intermuscular adipose tissue [from -190 to -30 Hounsfield units (HU)] and muscle (-29 HU to +150 HU). Within the latter range, the mean muscle radiation attenuation [muscle (radio) density] is reported. Inconsistent criteria for the upper and lower HU cut-offs used to characterize muscle attenuation limit comparisons between investigations. This area of research would benefit from standardized criteria for reporting muscle attenuation. Available evidence suggests that muscle attenuation is plastic with physiological variation induced by the process of ageing, as well as by aerobic training, which probably reflects accumulation of lipids to fuel aerobic work. Pathological variation in muscle attenuation reflects excess fat deposition in the tissue and is observed in people with obesity, diabetes type II, myositis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and cancer. A poor prognosis and different types of morbidity are predicted by the presence of reduced mean muscle attenuation values in patients with these conditions; however, the biological features of muscle with these characteristics require further investigation.

Size tuning of Ag-decorated TiO2 nanotube arrays for improved bactericidal capacity of orthopedic implants.

Surface modification of orthopedic implants using titanium dioxide nanotubes and silver nanoparticles (SNs) is a promising approach to prevent bacteria adhesion, biofilm formation, and implant infection. Herein, we utilized a straightforward and all-solution process to prepare silver-decorated TiO2 nanotube arrays with surface density of 10(3) to 10(4) per µm(2). With controlling the synthesis conditions, hexagonal closed-packed nanotubes with opening diameter of 30-100 nm that are decorated with SNs with varying sizes (12-40 nm) were prepared. Various analytical techniques were utilized to characterize the size, morphology, distribution, valance state, surface roughness, and composition of the prepared antibacterial films. The bactericidal capacity of the films were studied on Escherichia coli (E. coli) by drop-test method and correlated with the size and percentage of Ag as well as the surface density of TiO2 nanotube arrays. Synergetic effect of TiO2 nanotubes and SNs on the antibacterial activity of the composite films is shown. The bactericidal capacity is found to depend on the size characteristics of the Ag-TiO2 coating. The highest antibacterial activity is obtained for TiO2 nanotubes with opening diameter of about 100 nm and SNs with an average size of 20 nm. MTT assay using osteoblast MG63 cells was performed to examine the cell viability. We suggest that release rate of the silver ions is an important factor controlling the antibacterial activity. Additionally, the size dependency of the bactericidal capacity implies that electrical coupling between silver and TiO2 nanotubes and improved hydrophobicity of the coating might influence the bacterial behavior of the hybrid nanostructures.

Age, Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Proximity to Death Explain Reduced Mean Muscle Attenuation in Patients with Advanced Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer cachexia is characterized by skeletal muscle loss. A feature of muscle wasting, reduction in the mean muscle attenuation from computed tomography images is believed to reflect pathological infiltration of fat into muscle. It is a reported prognostic indicator in cancer patients. OBJECTIVES: To develop an explanatory multivariate model of muscle attenuation of cancer patients incorporating age, sex, disease characteristics, body composition. Time to death ≤92 days was included in the model as the demarcation of end-stage disease. DESIGN: Multivariate general linear model regression analysis of total mean muscle attenuation and change in muscle attenuation. SETTING: Regional cancer center (Alberta, Canada). PARTICIPANTS: Patients with gastrointestinal and respiratory tract cancers (mean age 64±11 years, 44% female). MEASUREMENTS: Total adipose tissue and skeletal muscle cross sectional area, and mean muscle attenuation at the 3rd lumbar vertebra were assessed from baseline computed tomography (n=1719), and a subset with repeated measures (n=246 patients with a total of 871 images). RESULTS: At baseline, muscle attenuation associated with total skeletal muscle (ß 0.09; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.11; p<0.001) and adipose tissue (ß -0.032; 95% CI -0.035 to -0.029; p<0.001) cross sectional areas, age (ß -0.28; 95% CI -0.32 to -0.24; p<0.001), time to death ≤92 days (ß -1.9; 95% CI -3.1 to -0.7; p=0.003) and male sex (ß -2.3; 95% CI -3.5 to -1.1; p<0.001). Change in muscle attenuation over time associated with total adipose tissue cross sectional area (ß -0.008; 95% CI -0.012 to -0.004; p<0.001) and time to death ≤92 days (ß -1.6; 95% CI -3.0 to -0.2; p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The radiation attenuation of skeletal muscle is lowest in individuals who are older, less muscular, have a higher fat mass and are within 92 days of death. Men had lower muscle attenuation than women when controlled for other variables.

Homogeneous vs heterogeneous polymerization catalysis revealed by single-particle fluorescence microscopy.

A high-sensitivity and high-resolution single-particle fluorescence microscopy technique differentiated between homogeneous and heterogeneous metathesis polymerization catalysis by imaging the location of the early stages of polymerization. By imaging single polymers and single crystals of Grubbs II, polymerization catalysis was revealed to be solely homogeneous rather than heterogeneous or both.

Deconvoluting subensemble chemical reaction kinetics of platinum-sulfur ligand exchange detected with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy.

The subensemble kinetics of a platinum-sulfur covalent chemical reaction at the solution/surface interface of a model industrial catalyst support was examined using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM) and was found to exhibit biexponential first-order kinetic behavior. The observed kinetics was a convolution of the observation probability and chemical reaction rate. These results suggest that deconvolution strategies may be broadly important for obtaining accurate chemical reaction kinetics with SMFM.

Single-molecule imaging of platinum ligand exchange reaction reveals reactivity distribution.

Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy provided information about the real-time distribution of chemical reactivity on silicon oxide supports at the solution-surface interface, at a level of detail which would be unavailable from a traditional ensemble technique or from a technique that imaged the static physical properties of the surface. Chemical reactions on the surface were found to be uncorrelated; that is, the chemical reaction of one metal complex did not influence the location of a future chemical reaction of another metal complex.

On the determination of empirical absolute chiral structure: chiroptical spectrum correlations for D3 lanthanide (III) complexes.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) from selected transitions of Eu(III) in resolved single crystals of Na3[Eu(ODA)3].2NaClO4.6H2O are compared to CPL results obtained from solutions containing perturbed racemic mixtures of Eu(2,6-pyridine-dicarboxylate)3 (3-) and enantiomerically pure d-f helicate LambdaLambda-(-)EuCr(L8)3] in order to determine an empirical relationship between helicity and CPL spectra. Comparison of the CPL results, even for the magnetic dipole allowed transitions of Eu(III) where one measures large chiral discrimination, shows that the signs and magnitudes do not correlate with the overall helicity of the Eu(III) site. It is concluded that the symmetry of the Eu(III) site in LambdaLambda-(-)EuCr(L8)3 is not close enough to D3 to allow for the confirmation of the presumed spectra:structure correlation.

Occurrence of viruses infecting pea in Iran.

A survey was conducted to determine the incidence of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), Broad bean wilt virus-1 (BBWV), Pea leafroll virus (PLRV), Pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV), Pea seed borne mosaic virus (PSbMV), Potato virus x(PVX), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) on pea (Pisum sativum) in Iran. A Total of 1276 random and 684 symptomatic pea samples were collected during the spring and summer of 2002-2004 in Tehran province of Iran, where pea is grown, and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using specific polyclonal antibodies. Serological diagnoses were confirmed by electron microscopy and host range studies. Incidence of viruses in decreasing order was PVX (69%), ToMV (59%), PSbMV (36.6%), BBWV-1 (26.1%), BYMV (20.3%), AMV (17.77%), TSWV (12.6%), PEMV (10.9%), PLRV (6.78%). In this survey, natural occurrence of AMV, BBWV-1, PSbMV, TSWV, PVX and ToMV was reported for the first time on the pea in Iran.

New indicator plants for potato virus X.

For over 2 years (2002-2004); a sever virus like disease on leaves in Pisum sativum was observed from Tehran in Iran. The identity of which was established by the following host reactions and serological and molecular assays. Collected samples were tested for the presence of the virus using the DAS-ELISA (direct double antibody sandwich-ELISA). Leaf sap of each test samples was diluted 1:10 in ELISA sample buffer. The samples reacted in ELISA with antibody against Potato virus (x)(PVX). The samples were passed through three single chlorotic local lesion transfers on Gompherena globosa, which showed chlorosis 5 to 7 days after mechanical inoculation. Finally one local was homogenized in phosphate buffer (0.05 M, pH 7.2) and rubbing the inoculums on carbourundum--dusted leaves of Nicotiana glutinosa. For host range studies extracts prepared from infected N. glutinosa leave were inoculated to the 35 species. The virus induces systemic mosaic symptoms on Petunia hybrida, Physalis floridana, Nicandera physaloides and Solanum nigrum. This has not been yet record as assay hosts for PVX. Total RNA extracted from symptomatic, plants and RNA extracted from purified virus preparations were tested using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with specific primers designed to amplify a fragment of the RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase gen. Back inoculation from different symptomatic plants, had been done to Pisum sativum and confirmed by DAS-ELISA. This is the first report of Petunia hybrida, Physalis floridana, Nicandera physaloides and Solanum nigrum as new indicator plants for PVX.

Detection of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) in pea field in Iran.

During the spring and summer, in 2003-2004, pea viruses were identified in twenty pea fields of Tehran. Some leaf samples were collected randomly from pea fields of Tehran. Samples were tested by Double Antibody Sandwich Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DAS-ELISA) technique using polyclonal antiserum of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), AS-0001, DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). The samples were extracted in 0.1 M Phosphate buffer pH 7 to 7.5 and inoculated on Chenopodium amaranticolor, Chenopodium quina, Phaseolus valgaris, Vicia faba, Vignia unguiculata. Pea cultivars were infected by AMV, causing mild mosaic, translucent veins and a diffuse green-yellow of tender parts and spots may also was involved necrosis of tissue. Infected plants grow slowly and malformed pods produce fewer ovules. In Chenopodium amranticolor, C. quina chlorotic and necrotic flecks, and Vicia faba systemic mosaic had produced. Phaselous vulgaris and Viginia unguiculata are good assay hosts for strains that produce local lesions after 3-5 days in these plants. Back inoculated on Pisum sativum and Vicia faba and tested with DAS-ELISA that had been confirmed the results. This is the first report of AMV on pea from Iran.

First report of occurrence of two viruses on pea field in Iran.

An intensive survey was conducted to identify virus diseases affecting pea crops in Tehran province of Iran. A total of 270 pea samples were collected randomly from pea fields. samples were tested by Double Antibody Sandwich Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DAS-ELISA) using polyclonal antisera prepared against PSBMV (AS-0129, DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany) and TSWV (AS-0580, DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). Virus disease incidence in pea samples was followed by PSBMV (33%) TSWV (24.4%) and PSBMV+TSWV (17.77). The positive samples with PSBMV were extracted in 0.05M phosphate buffer pH 6.5-7 containing 2% pvp and inoculated on Pisum sativum, Vicia faba, Chenopodium quinoa, Chenopodium amaranticolor. That produced in Pisum sativum; leaflets roll downwards, shoots curl, internodes shorten and plants are rosetted. Early infections reduce flower and fruit formation or eliminate their development. Broad bean has symptoms accompanied by a certain margin rolling and leaflet distortion. In Chenopodium amaranticolor necrotic local lesions and Chenopodium quinoa chlorotic local lesions had produced. The positive samples with TSWV were extracted in 0.01 M phosphate buffer containing 1% Na2 SO3 and inoculated on Petunia hybrida, Pisum sativum. TSWV causes several symptoms in infected peas, including brown leaf petiole and stem coloration, leaflet spotting, vein necrosis. In petunia hybrida after approximately 5 days showed local necrotic lesion. Biological purification in TSWV with chlorotic local lesions in Petunia hybrida and in PSBMV; chlorotic local lesions in Chenopodium quinoa were done. In PSBMV, back inoculated on Pisum sativum and Vicia faba also tested with DAS-ELISA. RT-PCR confirmed the results. This is the first report of PSBMV and TSWV naturally infecting pea in Iran.

The first successful pregnancy following injection of testicular round spermatid in Iran.

The authors report the healthy delivery of the first successful round spermatid injection in Iran. The male was a 40-year-old with nonobstructive azoospermia whose previous testicular biopsy revealed only round spermatids. The wife was a 29-year-old healthy woman.

Effects of cryopreservation on penetration ability of human spermatozoa into bovine cervical mucus.

Cryopreserved sperm exhibit lower fertilizing capacity in comparison to fresh sperm, partly due to effects of glycerol as the common cryoprotectant medium. Since standard semen analysis is not a good predictive method to assess sperm fertilizing capacity, functional tests like cervical mucus penetration may provide more useful information. A total of 24 semen samples were examined before and after cryopreservation for sperm parameters as well as number and motility of penetrated sperm into bovine cervical mucus (BCM) as an alternative for human cervical mucus. Freezing and thawing procedures have negative effects on sperm penetration into cervical mucus. No significant relation was noticed between sperm motility percentage or its penetration into BCM before and after cryopreservation, which denotes the variability in resistance of sperm to damaging effects of freezing.