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[Objective] Based on FTIR microspectroscopy of the smoke aerosols of the same brand from different series of cigarettes, quick differentiation model was established. [Method] FTIR microspectroscopy was used to determine the smoke aerosols of different series of cigarettes from the same brand. A model was established by using principal component analysis (PCA). The nicotine content, moisture content, tar content, and carbon monoxide amount in the smoke were compared with the traditional methods. [Result] FTIR spectroscopy analysis results revealed that H7, H11, H12, B1, B13, and B14 were far away from other samples, which were consistent with the determined results by traditional methods. [Conclusion] FTIR microspectroscopy can quickly distinguish the smoke aerosols from different series of cigarettes of the same brand, which provided a new method for the quality identification of cigarettes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray radiation treatments are largely adopted in radiotherapy, and Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (μ-FTIR) has already been demonstrated to be a useful instrument for monitoring radiotherapy effects. Previous works in this field have focused on studying the changes occurring in cells when they are fixed immediately after the irradiation or 24 and 48 h later. In the present paper, changes occurring in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells in the first hours after the irradiation are examined to obtain information on the processes taking place in this not-yet-investigated time window by using μ-FTIR. For this purpose, cell samples were fixed immediately after X-ray exposure, and 2 and 4 h after irradiation and investigated along with unexposed cells. Different data analysis procedures were implemented to estimate the changes in lipid, protein, and DNA spectral contributions. The present investigation on the effects of X-ray in the first hours after the exposure is helpful for better describing the processes occurring in this time window that offer the possibility of a timely check on the efficacy of X-ray treatments and can potentially be applied for planning personalized treatment as required by the most advanced medical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combustion features are routinely studied using micro-geoarchaeology in prehistoric sites, providing information on human social life. In submerged prehistory such features have not been studied from the microscopic perspective, and here we present a study of three combustion features from two submerged Neolithic sites from the southeastern Mediterranean: Atlit-Yam (ninth-millennium cal BP) and Neve Yam (eighth-millennium cal BP). Mineralogical analyses were utilized to detect heated clay while quantification of phytoliths, ash pseudomorphs, and dung spherulites allowed determination of fuel sources. Micromorphology was deployed to determine whether or not the features represent in situ combustion activities and to understand formation processes. Two installations from Atlit-Yam contain evidence for short in situ fire events that were fueled by wood and reached 700–900 °C. One installation from Neve Yam contains reworked deposits that bear evidence for combustion at 500–700 °C, includes remains of wood ash and livestock dung. However, this feature cannot be identified with certainty as an in situ combustion feature. This research shows that pyrotechnological, functional, and social information can be gleaned from underwater combustion features using a micro-geoarchaeological approach and techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of cell parietal components of yeasts is an important criterium for the selection of wine starters since they play a key role in the vinification process. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the cell wall composition of four industrial (BM45, D47, EC1118, K1) and three native Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MY8, MY11, PEDRO2000E) wine strains by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy and ATR-FTIR microspectroscopy. A statistically significant variability in the cell wall thickness and cell diameter was observed among the yeast cells, with native strains showing higher cell diameter values. FTIR microspectroscopy applied on the intact cells without any previous invasive treatment and on the separated cell walls highlighted profound differences among the strains in terms of the overall content of parietal polysaccharides as related to the thickness of the cell walls and in terms of the relative concentration of β-glucans and mannans in the cell walls. The strains EC1118, MY11, and PEDRO2000E showed a higher overall content of β-glucans and mannans, whose lower relative concentration in PEDRO2000E was compensated by a thicker cell wall; BM45 and D47 were characterized by a high relative concentration of polysaccharides in a thinner wall, while K1 and MY8 displayed a low relative concentration of polysaccharides. ATR-FTIR microspectroscopy allows identifying polysaccharide-rich yeast strains and can become a smart option for the selection of starter cultures to be used in oenology and for other applications in food industry, thanks to the interesting technological properties of parietal polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer was considered the fourth most common cancer worldwide in 2020. In order to reduce mortality, an early diagnosis of the tumor is required. Currently, this type of cancer occurs mostly in developing countries due to the lack of vaccination and screening against the Human Papillomavirus. Thus, there is an urgent clinical need for new methods aiming at a reliable screening and an early diagnosis of precancerous and cancerous cervical lesions. Vibrational spectroscopy has provided very good results regarding the diagnosis of various tumors, particularly using Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy, which has proved to be a promising complement to the currently used histopathological methods of cancer diagnosis. This spectroscopic technique was applied to the analysis of cryopreserved human cervical tissue samples, both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and non-cancer samples. A dedicated Support Vector Machine classification model was constructed in order to categorize the samples into either normal or malignant and was subsequently validated by cross-validation, with an accuracy higher than 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS), are categorized as biodegradable bioplastics that have progressively being utilized as food packaging replacing the obtrusive petroleum plastic. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity of bioplastics and petroleum-based plastic polyethylene (PE) on Artemia franciscana and animal cell lines. Each plastic sample was assessed in its powdered form, and the size distribution of PE, PLA, and PBS microplastic particles was observed by optical microscopy. Additionally, the toxicity of hatching percentage and mortality rate was investigated. The results demonstrated that the percentage of hatching and the mortality rate post treatment with PLA and PBS particles for 24 and 48 h did not significantly alter in comparison to those treated with PE particles. However, the percentage of Artemia hatching reduced post treatment with plastic particles in comparison to the control, as well as the mortality rate increased with a high concentration of plastic particles. The morphology of Artemia after ingesting microplastic particles was obtained using phase contrast inverted microscopy. The accumulation of plastic in the Artemia gut was observed succeeding its exposure to PE, PLA, and PBS particles. In addition, the cytotoxicity of plastics on human keratinocyte (HaCaT), normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF), and African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell lines were determined by MTT assay. The result exhibited that increasing concentrations of microplastic particles had substantially less toxic to practically nontoxic effect on the cells. The biomolecule profile by synchrotron-IR technique displayed that plastics potentially have more alteration effect in epithelial kidney cells (Vero) than fibroblasts (NHDF) and keratinocytes (HaCaT). Our results demonstrate that PE, PLA, and PBS had toxicity on Artemia following ingestion, in accordance with the concentration and duration tests. Moreover, microplastic particles were nontoxic or harmless to animal cell lines and altered some intracellular biomolecule profiles. These discoveries are essential not only for environmental health risk assessment but also in order to establish recommendations toward safer utilization of bioplastics-based materials for a robust lifestyle.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is frequently used for archaeological studies related to fire, allowing, among other things, researchers to distinguish between unheated and heated clay minerals. However, heat signatures are not always clear‐cut in infrared spectra of bulk sediments, as spectra occasionally appear with ambiguous absorbance bands attributed to hydroxyl (OH) in clay minerals. This paper presents an experimental study addressing this interpretational problem by considering the effect of mixtures of heated and unheated clay, a phenomenon expected in archaeological sites. After creating experimental mixtures and testing them using bulk FTIR spectroscopy, our results indicate that even a relatively small amount of unheated clay—only ca. 5%–10% mixed into a fully heated deposit—will result in ambiguous infrared spectra that are difficult to interpret. For comparison, ambiguous bulk FTIR spectra from two archaeological contexts—an ashy fill within a pit installation and a hearth—were studied with FTIR microspectroscopy, which demonstrated the presence of unheated clay within a largely heated deposit. Micromorphological observations explain the mixed nature of the investigated archaeological contexts, in this case, primarily via bioturbation. Our results thus emphasize the importance of microcontextual analysis of clay minerals. Furthermore, these results indicate that heated deposits are likely missed altogether in some archaeological contexts where only bulk FTIR analyses have been conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma is the most recurring cancer in childhood and adolescence. The SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line is generally adopted for elaborating new therapeutical approaches and/or elaborating strategies for the prevention of central nervous system disturbances. In fact, it represents a valid model system for investigating in vitro the effects on the brain of X-ray exposure using vibrational spectroscopies that can detect early radiation-induced molecular alterations of potential clinical usefulness. In recent years, we dedicated significant efforts in the use of Fourier-transform and Raman microspectroscopy techniques for characterizing such radiation-induced effects on SH-SY5Y cells by examining the contributions from different cell components (DNA, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) to the vibrational spectra. In this review, we aim at revising and comparing the main results of our studies to provide a wide outlook of the latest outcomes and a framework for future radiobiology research using vibrational spectroscopies. A short description of our experimental approaches and data analysis procedures is also reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, the effect of a dental Er:YAG pulsed laser and a diamond cylindrical drill with a turbine handpiece on dentin tissue was studied using spectral imaging. The combination of spectral imaging of FTIR microspectroscopy data and subsequent multivariate analysis (hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA)) was shown to unambiguously detect visually indistinguishable structural changes occurring in the hard dental tissue (dentin) depending on the method used for their pre-processing, and to classify and differentiate the identified features at the submicron level with high spatial resolution. The detectable spectral transformations indicate that the preparation of dental tissue with a dental laser leads to significant changes in the organic components of dentin, which may affect adhesion. The use of a diamond cylindrical drill with a turbine handpiece is characterized by a larger area (depth) of the altered hard tissue than in the case of a dental laser for dental cavity preparation. The observed redistribution of the phase composition of the inorganic component in the tissue is associated with the emergence of additional phases of weak calcium phosphates, and changes in the organic component with transformations in the secondary structure of proteins. Active use of the proposed integrated approach in the future will clarify the areas of its applicability to the analysis of biological tissues and pathologies in them, which will help in the clinical setting to choose the optimal personalized approach for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest research progress on separation technology (density separation, elutriation and oil extraction), digestion technology (acid digestion, alkali digestion, oxidation digestion, enzyme digestion and UTS method) and detection technology(visual inspection, spectroscopic analysis and thermal analysis) of microplastics are systematically introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages are compared and analyzed ・ However, the selection of different separation, digestion and detection technologies will lead to differences in the abundance, chemical information and morphology of microplastics・ It is difficult to compare different research results, which affects the research on the environmental behavior, pollution status and temporal and spatial distribution of microplastics・ Therefore, it is proposed that a unified and standardized microplastics pre treatment and detection technology should be established in the future ・ And more attention should be paid to the combined application of image analysis and traditional detection methods・ Meanwhile, machine learning will provide a faster and more accurate detection and classification technology for the research of microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • FTIR microspectroscopy was used to identify cigarettes of three different grades. • IR spectra obtained information on cigarettes' water extract. • Discriminant analysis accurately distinguished the above groups. • PCA and curve fitting further revealed the differences among the above groups. • FTIR microspectroscopy may be a useful tool for tobacco research. In this paper, FTIR microspectroscopy was used to identify the cigarettes of three different grades such as Jinwan cigarettes (J group), Yinxiangyipin cigarettes (Y group) and Hongsanhuan cigarettes (H group). IR spectra and peak-area ratios (A 2923 /A 816 , A 1601 /A 2923 , A 1601 /A 920 and A 1072 /A 816) revealed significant differences among H, Y and J groups, reflecting the changes in chemical compositions with increased grade. Discriminant analysis was carried out on basis of the above peak-area ratios, achieving 100% accuracy for identification of H, Y and J groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that carbohydrates and proteins were closely related to the quality of the cigarettes. In addition, curve fitting further confirmed that the structure of carbohydrates underwent changes due to the quality of the cigarettes. The above results suggest that FTIR microspectroscopy can identify different grades of the cigarettes, which may be helpful for tobacco research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regarding the development of new antineoplastic agents, with a view to assess the selective antitumoral potential which aims at causing irreversible damage to cancer cells while preserving the integrity of their healthy counterparts, it is essential to evaluate the cytotoxic effects in both healthy and malignant human cell lines. In this study, a complex with two Pd(II) centers linked by the biogenic polyamine spermine (Pd2Spm) was tested on healthy (PNT-2) and cancer (LNCaP and PC-3) prostate human cell lines, using cisplatin as a reference. To understand the mechanisms of action of both cisplatin and Pd2Spm at a molecular level, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman microspectroscopies were used. Principal component analysis was applied to the vibrational data, revealing the major metabolic changes caused by each drug, which were found to rely on DNA, lipids, and proteins, acting as biomarkers of drug impact. The main changes were observed between the B-DNA native conformation and either Z-DNA or A-DNA, with a higher effect on lipids having been detected in the presence of cisplatin as compared to Pd2Spm. In turn, the Pd-agent showed a more significant impact on proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, the effect of a dental Er:YAG pulsed laser and a diamond cylindrical drill with a turbine handpiece on dentin tissue was studied using spectral imaging. The combination of spectral imaging of FTIR microspectroscopy data and subsequent multivariate analysis (hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA)) was shown to unambiguously detect visually indistinguishable structural changes occurring in the hard dental tissue (dentin) depending on the method used for their pre-processing, and to classify and differentiate the identified features at the submicron level with high spatial resolution. The detectable spectral transformations indicate that the preparation of dental tissue with a dental laser leads to significant changes in the organic components of dentin, which may affect adhesion. The use of a diamond cylindrical drill with a turbine handpiece is characterized by a larger area (depth) of the altered hard tissue than in the case of a dental laser for dental cavity preparation. The observed redistribution of the phase composition of the inorganic component in the tissue is associated with the emergence of additional phases of weak calcium phosphates, and changes in the organic component with transformations in the secondary structure of proteins. Active use of the proposed integrated approach in the future will clarify the areas of its applicability to the analysis of biological tissues and pathologies in them, which will help in the clinical setting to choose the optimal personalized approach for patients.

[Display omitted] • Drug combination administration had an enhanced cytotoxic effect compared to single drug. • Z-DNA conformation occurred mostly in polynuclear complexes while A-DNA conformation happened more often in cisplatin. • Single drug administration reveals a higher damage to DNA while the combined administration showed a higher impact on proteins. Over the years, osteosarcoma therapy has had a significative improvement with the use of a multidrug regime strategy, increasing the survival rates from less than 20 % to circa 70 %. Different types of development of new antineoplastic agents are critical to achieve irreversible damage to cancer cells, while preserving the integrity of their healthy counterparts. In the present study, complexes with two and three Pd(II) centres linked by the biogenic polyamines: spermine (Pd 2 SpmCl 4) and spermidine (Pd 3 Spd 2 Cl 6) were tested against non-malignant (osteoblasts, HOb) and cancer (osteosarcoma, MG-63) human cell lines. Either alone or in combination according to the EURAMOS-1 protocol, they were used versus cisplatin as a drug reference. By evaluating the cytotoxic effects of both therapeutic approaches (single and drug combination) in HOb and MG–63 cell lines, the selective anti-tumoral potential is assessed. To understand the different treatments at a molecular level, Synchrotron Radiation Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman microspectroscopies were applied. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis are applied to the vibrational data, revealing the major metabolic changes caused by each drug, which were found to rely on DNA, lipids, and proteins, acting as biomarkers of drug-to-cell impact. The main changes were observed for the B-DNA native conformation to either Z-DNA (higher in the presence of polynuclear complexes) or A-DNA (preferably after cisplatin exposure). Additionally, a higher effect upon variation in proteins content was detected in drug combination when compared to single drug administration proving the efficacy of the EURAMOS-1 protocol with the new drugs tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Primary production in the Southern Ocean is dominated by diatom‐rich phytoplankton assemblages, whose individual physiological characteristics and community composition are strongly shaped by the environment, yet knowledge on how diatoms allocate cellular energy in response to ocean acidification (OA) is limited. Understanding such changes in allocation is integral to determining the nutritional quality of diatoms and the subsequent impacts on the trophic transfer of energy and nutrients.Using synchrotron‐based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy, we analysed the macromolecular content of selected individual diatom taxa from a natural Antarctic phytoplankton community exposed to a gradient of fCO2 levels (288–1263 µatm).Strong species‐specific differences in macromolecular partitioning were observed under OA. Large taxa showed preferential energy allocation towards proteins, while smaller taxa increased both lipid and protein stores at high fCO2.If these changes are representative of future Antarctic diatom physiology, we may expect a shift away from lipid‐rich large diatoms towards a community dominated by smaller taxa, but with higher lipid and protein stores than their present‐day contemporaries, a response that could have cascading effects on food web dynamics in the Antarctic marine ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SESAME (Synchrotron‐light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) is the only synchrotron light facility in the Middle East and neighboring regions, officially opened in 2017. Among the identification and construction of the first operational beamlines, infrared spectromicroscopy was selected as one of the two beamlines to be opened to the general users' program (the so‐called Day‐1 beamlines). Being one of the most demanded techniques by various scientific communities in the Middle East, the beamline has been designed and implemented in the framework of a collaboration agreement with the French synchrotron facility, SOLEIL. The design, construction and initial performances of the IR beamline (D02‐IR), nowadays operational, are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseuderanthemum palatiferum (Nees) Radlk. is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in Thailand for treatment of many diseases including cancer. In this study, we investigated the effect of the water fraction of Pseuderanthemum palatiferum ethanol extract powder (WEP) on apoptosis induction in Jurkat cells, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy was applied to determine biomolecular changes in apoptotic cell death. GC-MS analysis revealed that the major constituents in the extract were 4-Vinylphenol (35.71%), 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol (12.12%), 4H-pyran-4-one, 2,3-dihydro-3,5-Dihydroxy-6-methyl-(10.93%), 1-Dodecanlol (6.72%), and Dodecyl acrylate (4.34%). Many other compounds were also detected, but their contents were small. WEP showed selective cytotoxicity to Jurkat cells, while minimal toxicity to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was observed. WEP also induced apoptotic cell death in Jurkat cells as evidenced by the morphological changes, DNA ladder formation, and the release of cytochrome C. FTIR analysis revealed changes of macromolecules with increased intensity of lipid region and decreased intensity of nucleic acid region. Thus, the results confirmed apoptotic induction of WEP against Jurkat cells. This study suggests that a combination of classical biological method and FTIR microspectroscopy could successfully detect biochemical and biophysical features of apoptosis in Jurkat cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present the potential of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to compare on whole cells, in an unbiased and untargeted way, the capacity of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and two rationally designed molecules (FP20 and FP20Rha) to activate molecular circuits of innate immunity. These compounds are important drug hits in the development of vaccine adjuvants and tumor immunotherapeutics. The biological assays indicated that FP20Rha was more potent than FP20 in inducing cytokine production in cells and in stimulating IgG antibody production post-vaccination in mice. Accordingly, the overall significant IR spectral changes induced by the treatment with LPS and FP20Rha were similar, lipids and glycans signals being the most diagnostic, while the effect of the less potent molecule FP20 on cells resulted to be closer to control untreated cells. We propose here the use of FTIR spectroscopy supported by artificial intelligence (AI) to achieve a more holistic understanding of the cell response to new drug candidates while screening them in cells. [Display omitted] • FTIR analysis allows comparing the cell response to LPS and to rationally designed small molecular LPS mimetics. • FTIR fingerprint enables a comparative assessment of drug hit candidates, simultaneously gathering mechanistic insights. • Spectral changes of lipids and glycans are induced by the treatment with potent TLR4 agonists. • A method for a holistic understanding of the cell response to new drug candidates while screening them in cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that are able to differentiate into several cell types, including cartilage, fat, and bone. As a common progenitor, MSC differentiation has to be tightly regulated to maintain the balance of their differentiation commitment. It has been reported that the decision process of MSCs into fat and bone cells is competing and reciprocal. Several factors have been suggested as critical factors that affect adipo-osteogenic decision, including melatonin and smad4. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is an important effector protein in the Hippo signaling pathway that acts as a transcriptional regulator by activating the transcription of the genes involved in cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis. The non-canonical role of YAP in regulating bone homeostasis by promoting osteogenesis and suppressing adipogenesis was recently demonstrated in a mouse model. However, it is unclear whether YAP is also crucial for modulating human MSC differentiation to fat and bone. Methods The expression level of YAP during MSC differentiation was modulated using pharmaceutical molecule and genetic experiments through gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Results We demonstrated for the first time that YAP has a non-canonical role in regulating the balance of adipo-osteogenic differentiation of human MSCs. The result from synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy showed unique metabolic fingerprints generated from YAP-targeted differentiated cells that were clearly distinguished from non-manipulated control. Conclusions These results, thus, identify YAP as an important effector protein that regulates human MSC differentiation to fat and bone and suggests the use of FTIR microspectroscopy as a promising technique in stem cell research.

Abstract The potential of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy, to inform the study and conservation of mineralised excavated textiles is discussed, highlighted by two case studies of 5th c. BCE finds. In both cases the textiles were funerary from pyre burials, used to wrap the remains of the incinerated bones of the deceased, and placed inside copper alloy urns, to be buried. FTIR spectra of the textile fibres were acquired by an FTIR microscope in reflectance mode. In regard to the two case studies, this was a non-invasive and non-destructive method, since it did not involve removal of material for sampling, as both finds were in a fragmentary condition, it did not apply any pressure, nor did it require pressing of the minute fragments used as samples. Past fibre analyses in case study A reported cultivated and wild silk, which had been used as evidence of the presence of silk in Classical Greece, while more recent studies, controversially pointed to either cellulosic or wool fibres. The unlimited application of FTIR microspectroscopy in reflectance mode due to its non-invasive/destructive nature, enhanced fibre identification but most importantly led to further analyses of specific fragments that revealed the find was suffering from active biodeterioration, subsequently treated. Case study B, where the textiles had been preserved folded, was a particularly unique find from its period, since one of the textiles present was bearing evidence of embroidery. Similarly, the extended application of FTIR microspectroscopy indicated good preservation of the organic matter within the fibres, informing thus the conservation decision-making process, which involved partial unfolding of the textiles, an action that revealed an additional decoration pattern, and minute fragments of the embroidery thread preserved.

Small colony variants (SCVs) are clinically significant and linked to persistent infections. In this study, synchrotron-radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (SR-FTIR) is used to investigate the microspectroscopic differences between the SCVs of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and diabetic foot Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) in two main IR spectral regions: (3050–2800 cm−1), corresponding to the distribution of lipids, and (1855–1500 cm−1), corresponding to the distribution of protein amide I and amide II and carbonyl vibrations. SR-FTIR successfully discriminated between the two staphylococcal species and between the SCV and the non-SCV strains within the two IR spectral regions. Combined S. aureus SCVs (SCVhMu) showed a higher protein content relative to the non-SCV wild type. Complemented S. aureus SCV showed distinguishable differences from the SCVhMu and the wild type, including a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids. An increase in the CH2/CH3 ratio was detected in S. epidermidis SCV samples compared to the standard control. Protein secondary structure in standard S. epidermidis and SCVs consisted mainly of an α-helix; however, a new shoulder at 1635 cm−1, assigned to β-sheets, was evident in the SCV. In conclusion, SR-FTIR is a powerful method that can discriminate between staphylococci species and to differentiate between SCVs and their corresponding natural strains.

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Abstract Carbonaceous matter in ~ 3.5 Ga hydrothermal vein deposits from the Dresser Formation, Western Australia, was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy. Based on the spectroscopy, the carbonaceous matter was mainly composed of disordered aromatic structures, with minor aliphatic C–H functional groups. Spatially resolved analysis supports that the aliphatic C–H signatures are derived from kerogenous macro-molecule and not from free bitumen or other artificial sources. The intensity ratios of the asymmetric aliphatic CH3 to the asymmetric aliphatic CH2 (R 3/2 value) in the carbonaceous clots range from 0.22 to 0.51. Thermal alteration may increase or not change the R 3/2 value of organic matter, as suggested by previous experiments, but it is unlikely to be the cause of the substantially lower R 3/2 values when compared with those of primary organic matter. In particular, the low R 3/2 values (

Abstract Background Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz (O. indicum) is found in Thailand. It has been used for the treatment of obesity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an O. indicum extract (OIE) on the adipogenic and biomolecular change in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods Initial studies examined the chemical components of OIE. The cell line 3T3-L1 was used to establish potential toxic effects of OIE during the differentiation of pre-adipocytes to adipocytes. The inhibitory effect of OIE on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was investigated. Moreover, the impact of OIE on pancreatic lipase activity was determined. In further experiments, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) was used to monitor and discriminate biomolecular changes caused by the potential anti-adipogenic effect of OIE on 3T3-L1 cells. Results Chemical screening methods indicated that OIE was composed of flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, and tannins. The percentage viability of 3T3-L1 cells was not significantly decreased after exposure to either 200 or 150 μg/mL of OIE for 2 and 10 days, respectively compared to control cells. The OIE exhibited a dose-dependent reduction of lipid accumulation compared to the control (p

Radiation damage upon soft X‐ray exposure is an important issue to be considered in soft X‐ray microscopy. The work presented here is part of a more extended study on the topic and focuses on the effects of soft X‐rays on paraffin, a common embedding medium for soft‐tissues, and on ultralene and Si3N4 windows as sample supports. Our studies suggest that the sample environment indeed plays an important role in the radiation damage process and therefore should be carefully taken into account for the analysis and interpretation of new data. The radiation damage effects were followed over time using a combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), and it was demonstrated that, for higher doses, an oxidation of both embedding medium and ultralene substrate takes place after the irradiated sample is exposed to air. This oxidation is reflected in a clear increase of C=O and O—H infrared bands and on the XRF oxygen maps, correlated with a decrease of the aliphatic infrared signal. The results also show that the oxidation process may affect quantitative evaluation of light element concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy provides a biochemical fingerprint of the cells. In this study, chemical changes in 143B osteosarcoma cells were investigated using FTIR analysis of cancer cells after their treatment with polymeric invertible micellar assemblies (IMAs) and curcumin-loaded IMAs and compared with untreated osteosarcoma cells. A comprehensive principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to analyze the FTIR results and confirm noticeable changes in cell surface chemical structures in the fingerprint regions of 1480–900 cm−1. The performed clustering shows visible differences for all investigated groups of cancer cells. It is demonstrated that a combination of FTIR microspectroscopy with PCA can be an efficient approach in determining interactions of osteosarcoma cells and drug-loaded polymer micellar assemblies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the causes of the different response of Amide I and Amide II bands in neuronal-like cells under an applied magnetic field at extremely low frequency and intensity. A Lumos IR microscope of Bruker Optics coupled with a FTIR spectrometer equipped with a wide-band liquid nitrogen cooled mercury–cadmium–telluride detector were used to acquire images and FTIR spectra of SH-SY5Y neuronal-like cells under exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields at the intensity of 1.4 mT, generated by two Helmholtz coils driven by an AC voltage and placed into an incubator in a 5% CO2/95% air humidified at 37 °C. Using this experimental setup resulted that the Amide II vibration band in neuronal-like cells increased significantly more than Amide I band after 6 h exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields. This result can be explained assuming that the following mechanisms occurred simultaneously after exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields: the alignment of proteins α-helices in cellular membrane toward the direction of applied magnetic field and a significant increasing of N-H bending vibration in proteins structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the presence and absence of mycoplasma contamination in cell culture, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy, coupled with multivariate analysis, was deployed to determine the biomolecular changes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HepG2, before and after mycoplasma contamination. The contaminated HepG2 cells were treated with antibiotic BM-Cyclin to decontaminate the mycoplasma, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was then performed to confirm the presence or the absence of mycoplasma contamination. The contaminated and decontaminated HepG2 cells were analyzed by FTIR microspectroscopy with principal component analysis (PCA) and peak integral area analysis. The results showed that the FTIR spectra of contaminated HepG2 cells demonstrated the alteration in the IR spectra corresponding to the lipid, protein, and nucleic acid regions. PCA analysis distinguished the spectral differences between the groups of mycoplasma-contaminated and -decontaminated cells. The PCA loading plots suggest that lipid and protein are the main contributed molecules for the difference between these two cell groups. Peak integral area analysis illustrated the increase of lipid and nucleic acid and the decrease of protein contents in the contaminated HepG2 cells. FTIR microspectroscopy is, therefore, proven to be a potential tool for assessing mycoplasma removal by monitoring biomolecular alterations in cell culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • AGS cells apoptosis induced by As 2 O 3 was investigated. • IR spectra showed significant changes in lipids content and the proteins and DNA structure. • Peak-area ratios indicated obvious changes in biomacromolecules. • PCA and curve fitting further explored the changes in nucleic acids. • The study provided new insights into As 2 O 3 -induced gastric cancer cells apoptosis. As 2 O 3 has shown significant anti-gastric cancer effects, but the mechanism is still unclear. Thus, biomacromolecular changes induced by As 2 O 3 were investigated by using human gastric cancer AGS cells as the model. Flow cytometry results confirmed that As 2 O 3 induced AGS cells apoptosis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy detected biomacromolecular changes during As 2 O 3 -induced AGS cells apoptosis sensitively: IR spectra showed significant changes in the lipids content and the proteins and DNA structure. Peak-area ratios indicated obvious changes in the lipids and DNA content and the proteins structure, while also showing a relatively good linear relationship between A1733/A969 and the apoptosis rate. PCA exhibited significant alteration in nucleic acids while curve fitting further revealed the changes in nucleic acids and proteins. On the whole, our study explored As 2 O 3 -induced gastric cancer cells apoptosis in depth on the basis of analyzing biomacromolecular changes, in addition, it also suggested FTIR microspectroscopy to be possibly useful in the research of apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thai jasmine rice is one of the prominent agricultural products of Thailand. Although it has made high export value for the country, the annual crop yield is limited by its photoperiod sensitivity and low disease resistance. Aiming to improve the rice traits, ion beam-induced genetic modification technique had been applied to the original jasmine rice, resulting in five selected agriculturally stable mutants. To overcome the complexity of conventional chemical test, we utilise the synchrotron-radiation-based FTIR microspectroscopy to investigate the main biochemical contents of rice samples. The infrared spectra were analysed to extract information on interesting components, including relative content quantification. Classification of rice traits based on spectroscopic data was performed by using principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA analysis results of the measured spectra in the carbohydrate region suggest that the mutant rice traits HyKOS3 and HyKOS3-1 are well separated from the original KDML105 rice. In contrast, the mutant rice traits HyKOS21 and HyKOS22 are seem to be inseparable from the original trait. The peak ratio of the crystallinity (1047 cm - 1 /1022 cm - 1 ) for HyKOS21 shows significantly higher degree of order in the starch granule than the KDML105 rice. The results clearly demonstrate the differences and similarities between rice cultivars, showing the interest of using this technique as a preliminary examination for genetically modified biological samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that are able to differentiate into several cell types, including cartilage, fat, and bone. As a common progenitor, MSC differentiation has to be tightly regulated to maintain the balance of their differentiation commitment. It has been reported that the decision process of MSCs into fat and bone cells is competing and reciprocal. Several factors have been suggested as critical factors that affect adipo-osteogenic decision, including melatonin and smad4. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is an important effector protein in the Hippo signaling pathway that acts as a transcriptional regulator by activating the transcription of the genes involved in cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis. The non-canonical role of YAP in regulating bone homeostasis by promoting osteogenesis and suppressing adipogenesis was recently demonstrated in a mouse model. However, it is unclear whether YAP is also crucial for modulating human MSC differentiation to fat and bone. Methods: The expression level of YAP during MSC differentiation was modulated using pharmaceutical molecule and genetic experiments through gain- and loss-of-function approaches. Results: We demonstrated for the first time that YAP has a non-canonical role in regulating the balance of adipo-osteogenic differentiation of human MSCs. The result from synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy showed unique metabolic fingerprints generated from YAP-targeted differentiated cells that were clearly distinguished from non-manipulated control. Conclusions: These results, thus, identify YAP as an important effector protein that regulates human MSC differentiation to fat and bone and suggests the use of FTIR microspectroscopy as a promising technique in stem cell research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In lithic residue analysis, the identification of degraded animal tissues on stone tools is challenging due to many factors, not least of which is the fact that residues are complex, heterogeneous mixtures of many different kinds of molecules. In order to aid in their identification, a reference library of infrared spectra of residues collected using Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) has recently been published (Monnier et al J Archaeol Sci: Rep 18:806–823, 2018). The goal of the present study is to explore the effects of decomposition on residues. Accordingly, we buried flakes with residues in compost for 1 year, then excavated them and documented both their appearance (using visible-light microscopy (VLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) and molecular composition (using FTIRM). The results show that while some residues (like meat and blood) disappeared entirely, others (fat and skin) were preserved on the bottoms of flakes buried in deep layers within the compost. Although the residues were damaged by microbial activity, their FTIRM spectra were clearly interpretable. Residues containing hydroxyapatite (bone and fish scales) and keratin (feather barbules, hair, and skin) were relatively well preserved. Their structures were in many cases recognizable, and their FTIRM spectra were entirely consistent with the FTIRM spectra of the standards. The results of the experiment show that the decay of animal tissues in compost proceeds primarily as a result of microbial activity, which appears to remove the tissues before they have a chance to oxidize or experience other biochemical changes. We conclude that if ancient residues have not been removed by microbial action, they can be identified using FTIR standards based upon fresh residues, such as those published in Monnier et al J Archaeol Sci 78:158–178, (2017), Monnier et al. 2018, J Archaeol Method Theory 25(1):1-44. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • S-FTIR microspectroscopy successfully characterised Mozzarella cheese microstructure. • Transmission and ATR showed similar spectral features for proteins and lipids. • Minor structural differences were detected across the sampled area by PCA. • Differences due to imaging mode or sample preparation were also identified through PCA. • This method may be used for label free analysis of other dairy products. Abstract Synchrotron Fourier transform infrared (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy allows the label-free examination of material microstructure but has not been widely applied to dairy products. Here, S-FTIR microspectroscopy was applied to observe the microstructure of Mozzarella cheese and assess the protein and lipid distribution within individual cheese blocks. High lipid and high protein areas were identified in transmission and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) analysis modes and the secondary structures of cheese proteins determined. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis identified variation in random coil, water content, lipid carbonyl and methylene stretching across the sampled area. Similar spectral features were obtained in both analysis modes; spatial resolution was higher with ATR and small differences were noted, potentially as a result of differences in sample preparation. S-FTIR is a useful microscopy tool that can detect structural alterations that may affect product properties and may assist reverse engineering of a range of dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR) is a promising method for the analysis of biological samples. Recent studies reported that FTIR imaging allows determination of the distribution of several biomolecules in a sample with no staining or extraction. In this study, FTIR was used to monitor biochemical changes in C. elegans nematodes cultured in nematode maintenance media (CeMM) without supplementation and with supplementation with either a long chain polyunsatured omega 3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or a saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid (PA) at 100 μM. EPA is an omega 3 fatty acid with documented health benefits while PA is generally consumed in diets. Worms were placed on BaF 2 slides, and FTIR spectra were collected from single worms in transmission mode using a focal plane array detector. Principal component analysis grouped the FTIR spectra into three clusters corresponding to spectra of worms cultured with no supplementation, worms cultured with supplementation with EPA, and worms cultured with supplementation with PA. The major differences between the FTIR spectra reside in the vibrations corresponding to unsaturated fatty acids (3008 cm−1), lipids (2928, 2848, and 1744 cm−1), and proteins (1680, 1648, and 1515 cm−1). This indicates that supplementation with EPA or PA leads to biochemical alterations related to unsaturated fatty acids, lipids, and proteins. Furthermore, supplementing mutant strains (tub- 1 and fat-3) CeMM with PA resulted in the appearance of the vibration 3008 cm−1, an increase in the intensity of the vibration 1744 cm−1, and a new vibration at 1632 cm−1, which is assigned to the amide I of β-pleated sheet component of proteins, in the spectra of tub-1 and fat-3 mutant strains. The results illustrated the potential use of FTIR alongside other techniques such as gas chromatography and staining techniques to investigate lipid metabolism and fat accumulation as well as induced changes in protein structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological disease characterised by the presence of endometrial cells in extra-uterine regions. One of the main factors impacting on the fertility of women affected by endometriosis is the poor oocyte quality. Granulosa Cells (GCs) regulate oocyte development and maintain the appropriate microenvironment for the acquisition of its competence; hence, the dysregulation of these functions in GCs can lead to severe cellular damages also in oocytes. In this study, luteinized GCs samples were separately collected from both ovaries of women affected by Unilateral Ovarian Endometriosis and analysed by infrared and Raman microspectroscopy. The spectral data were compared with those of GCs from women with diagnosis of tubal, idiopathic or male infertility (taken as control group). The coupling of these two spectroscopic techniques sheds new light on the alteration induced by this pathology on GCs metabolism and biochemical composition. In fact, the study revealed similar biochemical modifications in GCs from both ovaries of women affected by unilateral ovarian endometriosis, such as the alteration of the protein pattern, the induction of oxidative stress mechanisms, and the deregulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolisms. These evidences suggest that unilateral endometriosis impairs the overall ovarian functions, causing alterations not only in the ovary with endometriotic lesions but also in the contralateral "healthy" one. Graphical Abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • FTIRM and RMS highlighted changes induced by UOE on GCs biochemical composition. • GCs from ovary with UOE and the contralateral one showed the same impairment. • Unilateral endometriosis impairs the overall ovarian functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, two chicken breast fillet abnormalities, termed Wooden Breast (WB) and Spaghetti Meat (SM), have become a challenge for the chicken meat industry. The two abnormalities share some overlapping morphological features, including myofiber necrosis, intramuscular fat deposition, and collagen fibrosis, but display very different textural properties. WB has a hard, rigid surface, while the SM has a soft and stringy surface. Connective tissue is affected in both WB and SM, and accordingly, this study’s objective was to investigate the major component of connective tissue, collagen. The collagen structure was compared with normal (NO) fillets using histological methods and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and imaging. The histology analysis demonstrated an increase in the amount of connective tissue in the chicken abnormalities, particularly in the perimysium. The WB displayed a mixture of thin and thick collagen fibers, whereas the collagen fibers in SM were thinner, fewer, and shorter. For both, the collagen fibers were oriented in multiple directions. The FTIR data showed that WB contained more β-sheets than the NO and the SM fillets, whereas SM fillets expressed the lowest mature collagen fibers. This insight into the molecular changes can help to explain the underlying causes of the abnormalities.

[Display omitted] • Synchrotron-based FTIR analysis reveals subtle changes in DNA methylation status. • Changes in DNA conformation lead to changes in IR vibrational spectra. • The DNA-HALO resembles more native conformation in comparison to gDNA. • DNA-HALO structure captures more precisely the presence of unmethylated cytosine. • Peak ratio 1152/1070 cm−1 can be used to define methylation rate in DNA samples. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a rapid, non-destructive and label-free technique for identifying subtle changes in all bio-macromolecules, and has been used as a method of choice for studying DNA conformation, secondary DNA structure transition and DNA damage. In addition, the specific level of chromatin complexity is introduced via epigenetic modifications forcing the technological upgrade in the analysis of such an intricacy. As the most studied epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation is a major regulator of transcriptional activity, involved in the suppression of a broad spectrum of genes and its deregulation is involved in all non-communicable diseases. The present study was designed to explore the use of synchrotron-based FTIR analysis to monitor the subtle changes in molecule bases regarding the DNA methylation status of cytosine in the whole genome. In order to reveal the conformation-related best sample for FTIR-based DNA methylation analysis in situ , we used methodology for nuclear HALO preparations and slightly modified it to isolated DNA in HALO formations. Nuclear DNA-HALOs represent samples with preserved higher-order chromatin structure liberated of any protein residues that are closer to native DNA conformation than genomic DNA (gDNA) isolated by the standard batch procedure. Using FTIR spectroscopy we analyzed the DNA methylation profile of isolated gDNA and compared it with the DNA-HALOs. This study demonstrated the potential of FTIR microspectroscopy to detect DNA methylation marks in analyzed DNA-HALO specimens more precisely in comparison with classical DNA extraction procedures that yield unstructured whole genomic DNA. In addition, we used different cell types to assess their global DNA methylation profile, as well as defined specific infrared peaks that can be used for screening DNA methylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the presence and absence of mycoplasma contamination in cell culture, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy, coupled with multivariate analysis, was deployed to determine the biomolecular changes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, HepG2, before and after mycoplasma contamination. The contaminated HepG2 cells were treated with antibiotic BM-Cyclin to decontaminate the mycoplasma, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was then performed to confirm the presence or the absence of mycoplasma contamination. The contaminated and decontaminated HepG2 cells were analyzed by FTIR microspectroscopy with principal component analysis (PCA) and peak integral area analysis. The results showed that the FTIR spectra of contaminated HepG2 cells demonstrated the alteration in the IR spectra corresponding to the lipid, protein, and nucleic acid regions. PCA analysis distinguished the spectral differences between the groups of mycoplasma-contaminated and -decontaminated cells. The PCA loading plots suggest that lipid and protein are the main contributed molecules for the difference between these two cell groups. Peak integral area analysis illustrated the increase of lipid and nucleic acid and the decrease of protein contents in the contaminated HepG2 cells. FTIR microspectroscopy is, therefore, proven to be a potential tool for assessing mycoplasma removal by monitoring biomolecular alterations in cell culture.

The success of corals in nutrient poor environments is largely attributed to the symbiosis between the cnidarian host and its intracellular alga. Warm water anomalies have been shown to destabilize this symbiosis, yet detailed analysis of the effect of temperature and expulsion on cell-specific carbon and nutrient allocation in the symbiont is limited. Here, we exposed colonies of the hard coral Acropora millepora to heat stress and using synchrotron-based infrared microspectroscopy measured the biomolecular profiles of individual in hospite and expelled symbiont cells at an acute state of bleaching. Our results showed symbiont metabolic profiles to be remarkably distinct with heat stress and expulsion, where the two effectors elicited opposing metabolic adjustments independent of treatment or cell type. Elevated temperature resulted in biomolecular changes reflecting cellular stress, with relative increases in free amino acids and phosphorylation of molecules and a concomitant decline in protein content, suggesting protein modification and degradation. This contrasted with the metabolic profiles of expelled symbionts, which showed relative decreases in free amino acids and phosphorylated molecules, but increases in proteins and lipids, suggesting expulsion lessens the overall effect of heat stress on the metabolic signature of the algal symbionts. Interestingly, the combined effects of expulsion and thermal stress were additive, reducing the overall shifts in all biomolecules, with the notable exception of the significant accumulation of lipids and saturated fatty acids. This first use of a single-cell metabolomics approach on the coral symbiosis provides novel insight into coral bleaching and emphasizes the importance of a single-cell approach to demark the cell-to-cell variability in the physiology of coral cellular populations.

Highlights • Quercetin exerts antiproliferative activity on breast cancer cells. • Quercetin enhances the anticancer effect of Doxorubicin in vitro as proved by in vitro assays and FTIR microspectroscopy. • The effect was closely studied using MCF7 cell line and both in vitro tests and FTIR microspectroscopy were carried out. Abstract Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among females worldwide. Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the main chemotherapy drugs used in neoadjuvant and adjuvant breast cancer therapy. Dox-induced cardiotoxicity limits its use to a definite period and a definite cumulative dose. On the other hand, quercetin (Quer), a natural antioxidant, has been successfully reported to protect cardiomyocytes from Dox toxicity. Our aim is to optimize Dox regimen by assessing Quer effect on Dox cytotoxicity in a breast cancer cell model, MCF7 using a classic in vitro technique as well as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy. The cancer cells were exposed to Dox, Quer, or the combination of both agents for 72 incubation hours. Cell proliferation was assessed by using the classical colorimetric Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay and JC1 dye. MCF7cells were further investigated by FTIR microspectroscopy to correlate SRB results with the changes in the distinctive IR spectra of the cells. Our results show that Quer exerts an antiproliferative effect and enhances the cytotoxicity of Dox in MCF7 cells. Results obtained from both the in vitro assays and FTIR microspectroscopy showed that Quer potentiates the effect of Dox in breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz (O. indicum) is found in Thailand. It has been used for the treatment of obesity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an O. indicum extract (OIE) on the adipogenic and biomolecular change in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods: Initial studies examined the chemical components of OIE. The cell line 3T3-L1 was used to establish potential toxic effects of OIE during the differentiation of pre-adipocytes to adipocytes. The inhibitory effect of OIE on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was investigated. Moreover, the impact of OIE on pancreatic lipase activity was determined. In further experiments, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) was used to monitor and discriminate biomolecular changes caused by the potential anti-adipogenic effect of OIE on 3T3-L1 cells. Results: Chemical screening methods indicated that OIE was composed of flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, and tannins. The percentage viability of 3T3-L1 cells was not significantly decreased after exposure to either 200 or 150 μg/mL of OIE for 2 and 10 days, respectively compared to control cells. The OIE exhibited a dose-dependent reduction of lipid accumulation compared to the control (p < 0.05). The extract also demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibitory effect upon lipase activity compared to the control. The inhibitory effect of the OIE on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was also confirmed using FTIR microspectroscopy. The signal intensity and the integrated areas relating to lipids, lipid esters, nucleic acids, glycogen and carbohydrates of the OIE-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were significantly lower than the non-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated four distinct clusters for the FTIR spectra of 3T3-L1 adipocytes based on biomolecular changes (lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates). This observation was confirmed using Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis (UHCA). Conclusions: These novel findings provide evidence that the OIE derived from the fruit pods of the plant is capable of inhibiting lipid and carbohydrate accumulation in adipocytes and also has the potential to inhibit an enzyme associated with fat absorption. The initial observations indicate that OIE may have important properties which in the future may be exploited for the management of the overweight or obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma contamination represents a significant problem to the culture of mammalian cells used for research as it can cause disastrous effects on eukaryotic cells by altering cellular parameters leading to unreliable experimental results. Mycoplasma cells are very small bacteria therefore they cannot be detected by visual inspection using a visible light microscope and, thus, can remain unnoticed in the cell cultures for long periods. The detection techniques used nowadays to reveal mycoplasma contamination are time consuming and expensive with each having significant drawbacks. The ideal detection should be simple to perform with minimal preparation time, rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive. To our knowledge, for the first time, we employed Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to investigate whether we can differentiate between control cells and the same cells which have been infected with mycoplasmas during the culturing process. Chemometric methods such as HCA and PCA were used for the data analysis in order to detect spectral differences between control and intentionally infected cells, and spectral markers were revealed even at low contamination level. The preliminary results showed that FTIR has the potential to be used in the future as a reliable complementary detection technique for mycoplasma-infected cells.FTIR microspectroscopy is able to differentiate between mycoplasma infected cells (LC for low contamination and HC for high contamination) and control non-infected cells (CN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The symbiotic relationship between corals and Symbiodinium spp. is the key to the success and survival of coral reef ecosystems the world over. Nutrient exchange and chemical communication between the two partners provides the foundation of this key relationship, yet we are far from a complete understanding of these processes. This is due, in part, to the difficulties associated with studying an intracellular symbiosis at the small spatial scales required to elucidate metabolic interactions between the two partners. This feasibility study, which accompanied a more extensive investigation of fixed Symbiodinium cells (data unpublished), examines the potential of using synchrotron radiation infrared microspectroscopy (SR‐IRM) for exploring metabolite localisation within a single Symbiodinium cell. In doing so, three chemically distinct subcellular regions of a single Symbiodinium cell were established and correlated to cellular function based on assignment of diagnostic chemical classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of microscopic residues on stone tools provides one of the most direct ways to reconstruct the functions of such artifacts. However, new methods are needed to strengthen residue identifications based upon visible-light microscopy. In this work, we establish that reflectance Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) can be used to document IR spectra of animal-tissue residues on experimental stone tools. First, we present a set of reflectance FTIRM standards for the most commonly identified animal-tissue residues on stone tools: skin, meat, fat, hair, blood, feather barbules, fish scales, and bone. We provide spectral peak assignments for each residue and demonstrate that high-quality reflectance FTIRM spectra can be generated under ideal circumstances. Second, we document the spectra for these residues when they are located on a stone substrate such as flint or obsidian. We discuss procedures for correcting spectra that are affected by specular reflection and explain the effects of spectral interference from the stone. Our results show that reflectance FTIRM is sensitive to small intra-sample differences in composition. This means that it will record the effects of decomposition in ancient residues. The methodological developments we present here will help lithic residue analysts incorporate in situ reflectance FTIRM into their analysis protocols to strengthen identifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FTIR spectroscopy is an analytical technique widely applied for studying the vibrational fingerprint of organic compounds. In recent years, it has been applied to many biomedical fields because of its potential to detect the composition and molecular structure of various biological materials without the need of probe molecules. The coupling of IR spectrometers with visible microscopes has led to perform the imaging analysis of non-homogeneous samples, such as tissues and cells, in which the biochemical and spatial information are close related. In this review, we report the most significant applications of FTIR to the study of cells in different conditions (fixed, dried and living) with the aim to monitor their biochemical modifications, either induced or naturally occurring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]