Microscopy Research and Technique最新文献

In this experimental study, the initial phase involved preparing composite structures with various mix ratios using the Ti-6Al-4V alloy, widely used in clinical applications, in conjunction with ZrO₂ and hydroxyapatite (HA) synthesized via the precipitation method, employing powder metallurgy techniques. Subsequently, the microstructures of the resultant hybrid composite materials were imaged, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analyses were conducted. In the final phase of the experimental work, tests were performed to determine the biocompatibility properties of the hybrid composites. For this purpose, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assays were carried out. The tests and examinations revealed that structures compatible both morphologically and elementally were obtained with no phase transformations that could disrupt the structure. The incorporation of ZrO₂ into the Ti-6Al-4V alloy was observed to enhance cell viability values. The value of 98.25 ± 0.42 obtained by adding 20% ZrO₂ gave the highest cell viability result. The addition of HA into the hybrid structures further increased the cell viability values by approximately 10%. All viability values for both HA-added and HA-free groups were obtained above the 70% viability level defined in the standard. According to the genotoxicity test results, the highest cytokinesis-block proliferation index values were obtained as 1.666 and 0.620 in structures containing 20% ZrO₂ and 10% ZrO₂ + 10% HA, respectively. Remarkably, all fabricated composite and hybrid composite materials surpassed established biocompatibility standards and exhibited nontoxic and nongenotoxic properties. This comprehensive study contributes vital insights for future biomechanical and other in vitro and in vivo experiments, as it meticulously addresses fundamental characterization parameters crucial for medical device development. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Support of optimum doping rates ions on hybrid composites and concentrations. Development of uniform surface appearance and distributions/orientations of microcrystals on ceramic compounds Improvement of cell viability and desired increase in biocompatibility with the doping of HA.

Holotomography (HT) is a cutting-edge fast live-cell quantitative label-free imaging technique. Based on the principle of quantitative phase imaging, it combines holography and tomography to record a three-dimensional map of the refractive index, used as intrinsic optical and quantitative imaging contrast parameter of biological samples, at a sub-micrometer spatial resolution. In this study HT has been employed for the first time to analyze the changes of fibroblasts differentiating towards myofibroblasts - recognized as the main cell player of fibrosis - when cultured in vitro with the pro-fibrotic factor, namely transforming growth factor-β1. In parallel, F-actin, vinculin, α-smooth muscle actin, phospho-myosin light chain 2, type-1 collagen, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1α expression and mitochondria were evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Plasmamembrane passive properties and transient receptor potential canonical channels' currents were also recorded by whole-cell patch-clamp. The fluorescence images and electrophysiological results have been compared to the data obtained by HT and their congruence has been discussed. HT turned out to be a valid approach to morphologically distinguish fibroblasts from well differentiated myofibroblasts while obtaining objective measures concerning volume, surface area, projection area, surface index and dry mass (i.e., the mass of the non-aqueous content inside the cell including proteins and subcellular organelles) of the entire cell, nuclei and nucleoli with the major advantage to monitor outer and inner features in living cells in a non-invasive, rapid and label-free approach. HT might open up new research opportunities in the field of fibrotic diseases. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Holotomography (HT) is a label-free laser interferometric imaging technology exploiting the intrinsic optical property of cells namely refractive index (RI) to enable a direct imaging and analysis of whole cells or intracellular organelles. HT turned out a valid approach to distinguish morphological features of living unlabeled fibroblasts from differentiated myofibroblasts. HT provided quantitative information concerning volume, surface area, projection area, surface index and dry mass of the entire fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, nuclei and nucleoli.

Antibiotic resistance has increased in recent years, especially for pathogens like Klebsiella pneumoniae. Discovering and developing new drugs is challenging due to the high resistance of pathogens. Metal nanoparticles have been widely used in recent years to overcome and treat infections. Gallic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs-GA) were synthesized in a simple and cost-effective method. The morphology characteristics of synthesized IONPs-GA were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. IONPs were mostly spherical in shape with sizes ranging between 32 and 61 nm. All analyses used in this study confirmed the successful coating of gallic acid to iron oxide. Biological activities were studied phenotypically and on the molecular level, including antibacterial, antibiofilm, and mRNA levels of capsule-associated genes. The results showed high antimicrobial activity of the synthesized nanoparticles against different G^+ve and G^-ve bacteria. The highest activity was recorded against Staphylococcus aureus (43 mm) and K. pneumoniae (22 mm). The MIC of IONPs against K. pneumoniae was 3.12 mg/mL and SEM analysis showed adhering the IONPs-GA to the cell surface of K. pneumoniae resulted in disrupting the cell membrane. Different concentrations of sub-MIC inhibited K. pneumoniae biofilm formation with the highest inhibition percentage at ½ × MIC (66.86%). Also, the synthesized IONPs-GA differently affected the regulation and mRNA level of capsule-associated genes in K. pneumoniae. The results indicated that IONPs-GA could be useful in biological applications such as in drug delivery and treatment wide range of pathogens. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Gallic acid was successfully coated into iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized in a simple way. IONPs-GA was morphologically characterized using FTIR, XRD, and SEM. Evaluation the activity of IONPs-GA as antibacterial, antibiofilm, and study the potential level of mRNA affected by IONPs-GA.

The quantification of 3D particle field is of interest for a vast range of fields. While in-line particle holography (PH) can provide high-resolution measurements of particles, it suffers from speckle noise. Plenoptic imaging (PI) is less susceptible to speckle noises, but it involves a trade-off between spatial and angular resolution, rendering images with low resolution. Here, we report a simple microscopy setup with the goals of getting the strengths of both techniques. It is built with off-the-shelf and cost-effective components including a photographic lens, a diaphragm, and a CCD camera. The cost of the microscopy setup is affordable to small labs and individual researchers. The pupil plane of the proposed setup can be mechanically accessible, allowing us to implement pupil plane modulation and increase the depth of field (DOF) without requiring any additional relay lenses. It also allows us to understand the working principle of pupil plane modulation clearly, benefiting microscopy education. It illuminates the sample (particles) using diffuse white light, and thus avoids the problem of speckle noise. It captures multiple perspective images via pupil plane modulation, without requiring trading off angular and spatial resolution. We validate the setup with 2D and 3D particle samples. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: We report a simple and cost-effective microscopy setup with the goals of getting the strengths of plenoptic imaging and in-line particle holography. It is built with off-the-shelf and cost-effective components. The cost of the microscopy setup is affordable to small labs and individual researchers. The pupil plane of the proposed setup can be mechanically accessible, allowing us to implement pupil plane modulation and increase the DOF without requiring any additional relay lenses. It also allows us to understand the working principle of pupil plane modulation clearly, benefiting microscopy education. It illuminates the sample (particles) using diffuse white light, and thus avoids the problem of speckle noise. It captures multiple perspective images via pupil plane modulation, without requiring trading off angular and spatial resolution. We validate the setup with 2D and 3D particle samples.

This study was carried out to investigate the macroanatomical, morphometric, histological, and electron microscopic characteristics of the uropygial gland in adult male and female turkeys (Meleagris gallapovo).

This study examined the influence of growth temperature and dopant concentration on the properties of Gd- and Ni-doped zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs). ZnO seed layers were deposited on glass substrates using a sol-gel and dip-coating approach. Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs were hydrothermally grown on the seed layers at different temperatures such as 75, 90, and 105°C for a constant growth time of 5 h. The crystal structure, optical, surface morphology views, and electrical properties of the NRs were extensively investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, and four probe experimental methods. The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn²⁺ ions by Gd³⁺ and Ni²⁺ within the ZnO main matrices. The reordering of hexagonal structures with varied electronegativity, ionic radius dimensions, and valence electron states of Gd and Ni dopants affected seriously the fundamental characteristic features of NRs. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well-defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures. Higher dopant concentration led to an increase in NR diameter but a decrease in density depending on the increase in the space between the NRs. Additionally, the optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration. The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn²⁺ ions by Gd³⁺ and Ni²⁺ within the ZnO main matrices. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well-defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures. The optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration. The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications.

The species Cuniculus paca is highly subject to predation, whether natural or anthropogenic, and the ability of species to withstand different levels of depredation depends directly on their reproductive dynamics. However, there is little literature on the developmental biology of this species, and so the aim of this paper was to describe the fetal development of the urinary tract of C. paca through morphological analysis. Twelve specimens with estimated gestational ages of between 75 and 157 days were used, divided into 3 groups. We found the urinary tract in pelvic-abdominal topography with macroscopic differentiation between the organs already present in the first ages studied; in addition, the microscopic structural pattern changed little between the groups. This evidence reinforces the precocial development of these individuals. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: With the results obtained for development of urinary tract in Cuniculus paca reinforces the precocial development of these individuals. The urinary tract had pelvic-abdominal topography with macroscopic differentiation between the organs already present in the first ages studied. The microscopic structural pattern changed little between the groups. At all analyzed fetal ages, the cortical region of kidney was characterized by the presence of glomeruli arranged throughout the region, formed by capillary plexuses surrounded by a glomerular capsule. In addition, the cortical region also presented convoluted tubules with cubic epithelial tissue cells and a brush border. The presence of a developed macula densa was observed next to the glomeruli, suggesting the initial formation of the fetal juxtaglomerular apparatus.

The morphology of calcium oxalate monohydrate precipitates (COM, Ca(C₂O₄)·H₂O, P2₁/c, whewellite) occurring as crystals or intergrowths, as well as distribution of crystal-bearing idioblasts, have been studied for the first time in the bark of stone birch Betula ermanii from Sakhalin Island sampled in an area affected by mud volcanism and an unaffected typical forest environment taken for reference. The study addresses several issues (i) number and size of phytoliths and their distribution in different cell types; (ii) density of calcification in specific cells; (iii) habits of single crystals, twins, and complex intergrowths, as well as frequency of different morphologies and their relations. The trends of time-dependent morphological changes in separately analyzed crystals and intergrowths record the evolution of COM morphology from nuclei to mature grains. Of special interest are the nucleation sites and features of organic and inorganic seeds and nuclei for COM phytoliths. The precipitation process and crystal habits are mainly controlled by supersaturation, and it is thus important to constrain the Ca distribution patterns in different bark tissues. The B. ermanii samples were analyzed by several methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the distribution patterns and micromorphology of COM precipitates and bulk Ca content in bark; electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) for the mineral chemistry of COM precipitates; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements in bulk bark and wood. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The distribution and morphology of whewellite precipitates in the analyzed B. ermanii bark samples indicate that the aqueous solution was most strongly supersaturated with respect to the Ca(C₂O₄)·H₂O solid phase at the parenchyma-sclerenchyma boundary, where most of the COM spherulites are localized and often coexist with large single crystals and contact COM twins.

We revisited the formula related to the overall tilt angle of a specimen using a side-entry double-tilt sample holder in a transmission electron microscope. Initially, we examined existing formulas in the literature for calculating the overall tilt angle. Subsequently, a new formula was derived, proven to better account for the actions of the double-tilt holder, thereby providing improved accuracy in the calculation. This newly derived formula has been implemented in the Landyne software suite. Furthermore, we demonstrated the accuracy of the new formula through examples. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A new formula has been derived to calculate overall tilt angles for side-entry double-tilt holders in TEM.

This paper includes a comprehensive taxonomical study based on seed morphology of 31 Euphorbia L species from Türkiye. The studied Euphorbia taxa have been examined for morphological traits such as seed color, dimensions, surface ornamentation, cell wall structures, lipid granule presence, and caruncle shape and dimensions with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereo microscopy to develop a better understanding of the basis of its species. The outcomes show that the species differ based on seed shape and color. The seed width dimensions are between 0.55 and 3.83 mm and the length dimensions are between 1.03 and 5.87 mm. Euphorbia lathyris, E. prostrata, and E. nutans are marked differently from the rest of the studied species based on their seed dimension. The seed surface ornamentation is classified into 12 different types: tuberculate, reticulate, areolate, colliculate, verrucate, alveolate, rugose, alveolate-reticulate, slightly reticulate, reticulate-areolate, pusticulate, and ruminate. The most common form is reticulate, found in eight species. The tuberculate (in E. helioscopia), areolate (in E. oblongata), slightly reticulate (in E. amygdaloides), and ruminate (in E. herniariifolia) ornamentation types are each characterized by only one species. The presence of lipid granules and anticlinal and periclinal cell walls disclose interspecific relationships within the examined taxa. Also, an identification key is offered for the studied species based on seed characters. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been studied in depth. The morphological characters of seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been examined utilizing SEM and light microscopy for the first time and discussed the taxonomic practice of these characteristics. A dichotomous key containing seed morphological data has presented.