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Background Helicobacter pylori is an important public health concern due to its status as a carcinogenic bacterium. Well adapted to the acidic environment of the human stomach, the variety of strains and virulence factors of the organism when interacting with the host immune system creates an individualistic response. Although estimates suggest that approximately half of the global population is infected with H pylori , the majority of infected persons remain asymptomatic while harboring an increased risk of intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancers. Therefore, appropriate diagnostic testing protocols are imperative. Methods This study compared labeling methodologies, including Wright stain, alcian yellow toluidine blue (AYTB), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded stomach resections from sleeve gastrectomy patients, to detect H pylori infection. Results Although all 3 labeling methods evidenced similar specificity in H pylori detection, the IHC method was significantly more sensitive. However, the IHC cost per test was approximately 5-fold higher than that of the Wright or AYTB stains, and the technical time required per test was at least 6-fold that of Wright or AYTB. Conclusion Despite the higher cost per test, IHC is the most sensitive and preferred method for determination of H pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy(PDT)is a minimally invasive technique increasingly used in dentistry for its antimicrobial properties. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the viability of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Methods: In this laboratory-based, experimental study, DPSCs were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and maintained at 37 °C. The cells were separated into five groups: Toluidine blue (TBO) at concentration of 0.1 mg/mL and 0.5 mg/mL, as well as methylene blue (MB) at concentrations of 0.01 mg/mL and 0.05 mg/mL were added to the wells in groups 1 to 4. The fifth group served as the control group. After 5 minutes of incubation, the experimental groups were irradiated with Fotosan® light-emitting diode (LED) for one minute. Cell viability was assessed after 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Results: Time (P < 0.000), photosensitizer type/concentration (P < 0.0001), and their interaction effect (P < 0.000) on cell viability were all significant. Viability in both MB groups was considerably higher than that in the control group at 8 hours (P < 0.001). At 24 hours, no significant difference was observed between the experimental groups and the control (P > 0.05). At 48 and 72 hours, cell viability in the TBO groups was markedly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: PDT with MB at the tested concentrations had no adverse effect on DPSCs even in the long-term (48 and 72 hours). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Traditional meta-analyses on the diagnostic accuracy of oral lesions have been conducted, but they were inherently limited to direct pairwise comparisons between a single method and a single alternative, while multiple diagnostic options and the ranking thereof were methodologically not possible. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic values of various methods in patients with oral potential malignant disease by performing a network meta-analysis. Methods: Two authors independently searched the databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, and Google scholar) up to June 2020 for studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of various tools (autofluorescence, chemiluminescence, cytology, narrow band imaging, and toluidine blue) with visual examination or other tools. The outcomes of interest for this analysis were sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and accuracy. Both a standard pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were conducted. Results: Treatment networks consisting of six interventions were defined for the network meta-analysis. The results of traditional meta-analysis showed that, among six methods, narrow band imaging showed higher sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy compared to visual examination. The results of network meta-analysis showed that autofluorescence, chemiluminescence, and narrow band imaging had higher sensitivity compared with visual examination, and that chemiluminescence and narrow band imaging had higher negative predictive value compared with visual examination. However, autofluorescence and chemiluminescence had lower specificity compared with visual examination. There were no significant differences in positive predictive value and accuracy among the six interventions. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that narrow banding imaging has superiority in terms of sensitivity and negative predictive value compared with the other five tested agents.

Introduction: Early detection of potentially malignant oral cavity disorders is critical for a good prognosis, and it is unclear whether the use of chemiluminescence as an adjunctive diagnostic screening method improves diagnostic accuracy. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of chemiluminescence for diagnosis of oral cancer and precancerous lesions. Methods: Sixteen prospective and retrospective studies from PubMed, Cochrane database, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were reviewed. Oral mucosal disorder, as detected by chemiluminescence, was compared with oral mucosal disorder detected by toluidine blue or visual examination. True-positive, true-negative, false-positive, and false-negative rates were extracted for each study. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool (ver. 2). Results: Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of the use of toluidine blue were 0.832 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.692–0.917), 0.429 (95% CI 0.217–0.672), 0.747 (95% CI 0.607–0.849), and 4.061 (95% CI 1.528–10.796; I2 = 9.128%), respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.743. Compared with toluidine blue, as used in 12 studies, chemiluminescence had a higher sensitivity (0.831 vs. 0.694); it had a lower specificity (0.415 vs. 0.734), negative predictive value (0.674 vs. 0.729), and DOR (3.891 vs. 7.705). Compared with clinical examination, as used in three studies, chemiluminescence had lower DOR (4.576 vs. 5.499) and area under the curve (0.818 vs. 0.91). Conclusion: Although chemiluminescence itself has good sensitivity for diagnostic work-up of oral cancer and precancer, the diagnostic accuracy of chemiluminescence is comparable to or worse than toluidine blue and clinical examination. Diagnostic accuracy was therefore insufficient for reliable use of chemiluminescence alone.

Introduction: Serological tests of non-treponemal and treponemal types are the most frequently used for syphilis diagnosis. Nontreponemal tests are used to monitor disease activity. Toluidine red unheated serum test (TRUST), as one of nontreponemal tests, is generally applicable to hospitals at different levels. However, accurate judgment of TRUST results is inseparable from an experienced and accurate operator. To reduce current shortcomings of manual TRUST method, we attempted to convert the manual TRUST test into automatic TRUST test, that is, to determine the degree of aggregation of toluidine red particles by detecting the absorbance value of serum after reaction with toluidine red particles., Methods: 50 μL of serum sample and 80 μL toluidine red particles were added to 96-well plate. Then, the 96-well plate was placed on a microplate reader at medium grade for 8 min to mix. Then, plasma reagin reacted with toluidine red particles and promoted the aggregation of toluidine red particles to form a large clot, which eventually caused a decrease in the absorbance at 540 nm., Results: The results showed that the specificity of the automatic TRUST test was 100%, the sensitivity was 87%. And this method showed 93.5% correlation with manual TRUST test. The developed method is simple and involves less subjectivity in reading results, opening new avenues for syphilis diagnostic testing., Conclusion: Turbidimetric immunoassay can avoid the shortcomings of subjective interpretation, time-consuming and manual operation of manual TRUST method, and is more suitable for large-scale screening in health examination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of toluidine blue (TB) mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in rat gingival fibroblasts through in vitro experiments. Rat gingival fibroblasts were divided into five groups: (1) control, (2) LPS treatment, (3) laser treatment, (4) TB treatment (1.0 µg/mL), and (5) PDT treatment (TB plus laser irradiation at 320 mW/cm 2 for 240 s). After 24 h, cell growth activity was measured using MTT assay. The levels of receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the cell culture supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nuclear proteins were extracted and the phosphorylation levels of phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB/p65 (p-p65) and phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (p-IκBα) were determined using Western Blot. MTT results showed no significant difference in cell viability between the groups (P > 0.05). After LPS induction, OPG expression decreased, RANKL expression increased, and the OPG/RANKL ratio decreased, which was different from the control group (P < 0.05). After PDT treatment, OPG expression increased, RANKL expression decreased (P < 0.05), and the OPG/RANKL ratio increased (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, there was no significant difference in OPG and RANKL expression or the OPG/RANKL ratio (P > 0.05). The activation of NF-κB was closely related to the phosphorylation levels of p-p65 and p-IκBα. LPS significantly up-regulated p-p65 and p-IκBα expression (P < 0.05), while PDT treatment decreased their phosphorylation levels (P < 0.05). TB-PDT treatment can inhibit NF-κB signaling pathway activation, decrease RANKL and OPG expression, and reduce the OPG/RANKL ratio, thereby reducing inflammation and playing a role in periodontitis treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (Fe3O4-SDS) were used for the adsorption of cationic tolonium chloride (TC) dye from aqueous solution. The effects of temperature, pH, amount of nanoparticles and SDS concentration, stirring time, and interfering ions on dye adsorption were investigated. For TC, the maximum removal was 98 % in the best conditions (pH = 6; 0.6 g Fe3O4-SDS; 30 °C temperature, and 3 min stirring time). Data from the sorption kinetic studies showed the best fitting of the pseudo-second-order model for adsorption of the dye. The Langmuir isotherm showed better fitting of the data for TC adsorption by Fe3O4-SDS compared with the other models. The Fe3O4-SDS nanoparticles are easily synthesizable, magnetically recoverable, and regenerable, which increases their practical applications. Additionally, NaCl showed no significant impact on the dye removal up to 0.8 molar concentration, which increases the industrial application of the process.

Aims: The accuracy of toluidine blue (TB) and chemiluminescence for diagnosing oral cancer and pre‐cancer was evaluated. Methods: Two authors (working independently) comprehensively reviewed six databases (PubMed, Cochrane database, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Google Scholar) from their dates of inception until March 2020. Oral mucosal disorder, as detected by TB, was compared with that detected by chemiluminescence. True‐positive, true‐negative, false‐positive and false‐negative data were extracted for each study. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool (ver. 2). The extent of interrater agreement was also assessed. Results: Twenty‐nine prospective and retrospective studies were included. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of TB was 7.017 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.544; 10.836). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.766. The correlation between the sensitivity and the false‐positive rate was 0.196, indicating the absence of heterogeneity. TB exhibited moderate interrater reliability (0.6777; 95% CI, 0.43; 0.7455). Compared with chemiluminescence, as used in nine studies, TB had a lower sensitivity (0.659 vs 0.841), but a higher specificity (0.809 vs 0.345), negative predictive value (0.766 vs 0.690) and DOR (10.565 vs 5.203). Compared with clinical examination, as used in four studies, TB method had a higher sensitivity (0.891 vs 0.891), specificity (0.739 vs 0.634), negative predictive value (0.920 vs 0.714) and DOR (28.491 vs 8.526). Subgroup analysis showed that screening for severe dysplasia or more severe disease was significantly more sensitive, but less specific, than screening for all dysplasias. Conclusions: Although the diagnostic accuracy of TB in the diagnostic work‐up of oral cancer and pre‐cancer was higher than that of clinical examination, it was not high enough for TB to reliably be used alone. Instead, it should be combined with chemiluminescence or other diagnostic tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim is to evaluate the accuracy of autofluorescence for screening oral cancer in comparison with toluidine blue staining and clinical examination. Oral mucosal disorders detected by autofluorescence were compared with those detected using toluidine blue staining. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for autofluorescence was 8.197 (95% confidence interval, 4.018‐16.723). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.815. Compared with toluidine blue, autofluorescence had a similar sensitivity, negative predictive value, and AUC but a lower specificity and DOR. Compared with clinical examination, the autofluorescence had a higher sensitivity but lower specificity, DOR, and AUC. Although the diagnostic accuracy of autofluorescence in the screening work‐up of oral cancer and precancer was more sensitive than those of clinical examination and toluidine blue staining, it was not accurate enough to be used alone reliably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tooth discoloration is a common concern in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using various photosensitizers (PS). Toluidine Blue (TB), Methylene Blue (MB), Phthalocyanine (Pc), and 2-mercaptopyridine-substituted zinc phthalocyanine (TM-ZnPc) are among those studied, but their relative impacts on tooth discoloration remain unclear., Aim: This study aimed to compare the effects of TB, MB, Pc, and TM-ZnPc in aPDT on tooth discoloration, utilizing a controlled experimental setup., Materials and Methods: The study comprised seventy-five single-rooted incisors with root canals. Following meticulous preparation, a standardized area on the crown surface was designated for examination, and precise measurements of the initial tooth colors were recorded. Samples were randomly divided into five groups: Negative control, MB, TM, Pc, and TM-ZnPc. Photoactivation was performed using LED light, and color measurements were taken at multiple time points up to 90 days. Data were converted to Lab* color values of the CIE Lab* color system (International Commission on Illumination, Vienna, Austria), and ΔE values were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using Two-way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Tukey tests (p < 0.05)., Results: At day 7 and 30, TM-ZnPc and Pc caused less discoloration compared to MB and TB. TM-ZnPc caused more tooth discoloration compared to Pc (p < 0.05). Compared to baseline, MB and TM-ZnPc caused more tooth discoloration at 30 days and TB caused more tooth discoloration at 90 days (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in terms of tooth discoloration at all periods evaluated after Pc application (p > 0.05). All photosensitizers tested in the study caused tooth coloration., Conclusion: All PS induced clinically detectable tooth discoloration, with TB and MB causing more significant discoloration compared to Pc and TM-ZnPc at certain time points. TM-ZnPc and Pc demonstrated more stable coloration levels over time, suggesting their potential reliability in aPDT applications. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate PS to minimize tooth discoloration in aPDT, with Pc showing promise in this regard., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To compare the use of toluidine blue 1% eye drops with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the determination of tumour margins in patients with ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN)., Methods: The study was conducted from July 2020 to June 2021 at the Ocular Oncology department at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. Slit-lamp photographs after toluidine blue staining and OCT of the anterior segment were taken on the same day from patients with OSSN. Photographs and OCT images were analyzed quantitatively using the software ImageJ and IMAGEnet®, respectively. The agreement between techniques was evaluated qualitatively through the Bland-Altman graph and quantitatively through intraclass correlation (ICC)., Results: A total of 21 participants (71.43% males) with a clinical diagnosis of OSSN were included in the study. The average + SD diameter along the chosen axes was 4.43 ± 2.08 mm with OCT of 4.37 ± 2.03 mm with toluidine blue, a difference not statistically significant (p = 0.2891). The Bland-Altman analysis indicated a good qualitative agreement between the methods, with all cases inserted within the limits of agreement from -0.3217 to 0.4268. The ICC quantitative analysis showed an almost perfect agreement of 99.57% (95%CI: 98.96-99.83%; p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Our findings showed that OCT and toluidine eye drops are equivalent in determining margins for tumour measurements, which is particularly relevant in low-income settings where anterior segment OCT is not available. The use of toluidine blue 1% could be an useful alternative to quantify the size of the tumour, help to monitor tumour growth, and outline margins for surgical planning., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

A label-free electrochemical immunosensor using a toluidine blue (TB)/porous organic polymer (POP)/two-dimensional molybdenum diselenide (2D MoSe 2 ) nanocomposite is developed for highly sensitive detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in selected crops. A POP/2D MoSe 2 composite material is employed to modify the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). Subsequently, TB is adsorbed on the modified SPCE surface, and the resulting TB/POP/2D MoSe 2 composite is then used to construct a biosensor. The new POP/2D MoSe 2 nanocomposite offers a high surface-to-volume area and is a good electroactive and biocompatible adsorbent for loading TB probe and capture antibodies. Adsorbed TB onto the POP/2D MoSe 2 nanocomposite is utilized as a redox probe for the signal amplification unit. This TB/POP/2D MoSe 2 nanocomposite provides good electron transfer properties of TB redox probe, good electrical conductivity, good biocompatibility, and likable adsorption ability, thus obtaining a sufficient immobilization quantity of antibodies for the sensor construction. After immobilization of the anti-AFB1 antibody and blocking with BSA on the composite surface, the immunosensor is obtained for the detection of AFB1. Under optimum conditions, the sensor shows a linear logarithmic range of 2.5-40 ng mL -1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.40 ng mL -1 . The developed sensor provides several advantages in terms of simplicity, low cost, short analysis time, high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. Additionally, the proposed immunosensor is successfully validated by the detection of AFB1 in rice, corn, and peanut samples. Utilizing the TB/POP/2D MoSe 2 nanocomposite, this label-free electrochemical immunosensor demonstrates outstanding sensitivity and selectivity in detecting AFB1, making it a valuable tool for ensuring the safety of agricultural products and enhancing food security., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology is used for the diagnosis of non-infectious lower airway inflammation in equids. Discrepancies have been reported in the differential cell count when different staining methods were used both in humans and horses. The objective of this study was to compare the results of BALF cytology in donkeys using four different staining methods: modified May-Grunwald Giemsa (mMGG), Diff-Quick (DQ), Toluidine blue (TB) and Perls Prussian blue (PPB). Nine healthy Amiata female donkeys were enrolled. The BAL procedure was performed as previously described and pairs of cytocentrifuged BALF slides were stained with each method. No differences between mMGG and DQ were found for macrophages, neutrophils, and eosinophils, while differences were found in mast cell count between DQ vs.TB, but not between mMGG vs. DQ or mMGG vs. TB. Finally, no differences were obtained in the differential count for hemosiderophages comparing mMGG, DQ and PPB. The mMGG appears to be an excellent stain for the identification of all possible cell types, including mast cells in the BALF of donkeys. DQ, if used alone, may lead to inappropriate identification of mast cells. These results are consistent with the literature on BALF staining methods in horses., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None of the authors has any financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that a magnetic resonance imaging method called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can differentiate between crush and complete transection peripheral nerve injuries in a rat model ex vivo. DTI measures the directionally dependent effect of tissue barriers on the random diffusion of water molecules. In ordered tissues such as nerves, this information can be used to reconstruct the primary direction of diffusion along fiber tracts, which may provide information on fiber tract continuity after nerve injury and surgical repair.Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with different degrees of partial transection of the sciatic nerve followed by immediate repair and euthanized after 1 week of recovery. Nerves were then harvested, fixed, and scanned with a 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging to obtain DTIand fiber tractography in each sample. Additional behavioral (sciatic function index, foot fault asymmetry) and histological (Toluidine blue staining) assessments were performed for validation.Results: Tractography yielded a visual representation of the degree of injury that correlated with behavioral and histological evaluations.Conclusions: DTI tractography is a noninvasive tool that can yield a visual representation of a partial nerve transection as early as 1 week after surgical repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer. The prognosis is bleak in patients with advanced stages. Patients with early disease have a better prognosis than those with advanced stage. There are several techniques for the screening of premalignant and superficial lesions including chromoendoscopy. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to determine the effectiveness of chromoendoscopy with toluidine blue combined with Lugol’s solution for diagnosis of esophageal premalignant and superficial neoplastic lesions in high risk patients. METHODS: Routine white light upper endoscopy was performed. Toluidine blue was sprayed from the gastroesophageal junction to 20 cm of the dental arch. Then the uptake dye areas were characterized. Later Lugol’s solution was sprayed. Areas with less-intense staining were characterized. Biopsy of the toluidine blue capturing areas and areas with less-intense staining of Lugol’s solution were taken. In the cases where lesions were not evidenced after application of dyes, biopsies four quadrants of the esophageal mucosa were taken. The samples were evaluated by a digestive pathologist. RESULTS: Barrett’s esophagus was the most common premalignant lesion and the early neoplastic lesion was adenocarcinoma with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity 85.7%, positive predictive value 30%, negative predictive value 100%, positive likelihood ratio 7 negative likelihood ratio 0. CONCLUSION: Chromoendoscopy with toluidine blue combined with Lugol’s solution is a useful tool in the screening of esophageal premalignant lesions and superficial neoplasms.

The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of LED-PAD and tolonium chloride on periodontal clinical parameters in chronic periodontitis.

A novel electrochemical immunosensor for detecting potential depression biomarker Apolipoprotein A4 (Apo-A4) was developed using a multi-signal amplification approach. Firstly, the sensor utilized a modified electrode material, NG-PEI-COF, combining bipyridine-functionalized covalent organic framework (COF) and polyethyleneimine-functionalized nitrogen-doped graphene (NG-PEI), providing high surface area and excellent electron transfer capability for the first-stage amplification in electrical signal conduction. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were further electrodeposited onto the electrode, providing good biocompatibility and abundant binding sites for immobilizing the target antigen, thus achieving the second-stage amplification in target recognition and binding. To address the lack of redox properties of the antigen, a tracer probe was formed by loading AuNPs, anti-Apo-A4, and toluidine blue (TB) successively onto COF, leading to the third-stage amplification in signal conversion. The constructed electrochemical immunosensor TB/Ab/AuNPs/COF-Apo-A4/AuNPs/NG-PEI-COF/GCE exhibited excellent detection performance against Apo-A4 with a linear range of 0.01 to 300 ng mL -1 and had a low detection limit of 2.16 pg mL -1 (S/N = 3). In addition, the biosensor had good reproducibility (RSD = 2.31%), stability, and significant anti-interference performance toward other depression biomarkers. The sensor has been successfully used for the quantitative detection of Apo-A4 in serum, providing potential applications for detecting Apo-A4 in the clinic and serving as a reference for constructing sensing methods based on COF., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Endometriosis is an immune chronic inflammatory disease, and there are currently no more effective drugs for treating endometriosis due to its unknown etiology. Salbutamol is a β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) agonist commonly used to treat asthma by selectively activating β2 receptors on airway smooth muscle and leukocytes, exerting bronchial dilation and synergistic anti-inflammatory effects. In recent years, β2AR agonists have been used in endometriosis studies, and we speculate that salbutamol may have a therapeutic effect on endometriosis. The purpose of this research was to explore the therapeutic effect of salbutamol on endometriosis mice. The mouse endometriosis model was established and treated with different doses of salbutamol. Endometrial lesions were harvested for pathological diagnosis, immunohistochemistry (IHC), Masson staining, and toluidine blue analysis. We found that the number and size of endometriotic lesions were all significantly decreased after 3 weeks of treatment with different doses of salbutamol on endometriosis model mice (P < 0.05). After Salbutamol treatment, the amount of mast cells (toluidine blue) and macrophages (F4/80) in the lesions as well as the expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-ɑ, platelet-derived growth factor subunit B (PDGFB), CD31, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, Masson staining, BCL2, TUBB3, substance P (SP), and nerve growth factor (NGF) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). These results suggested that salbutamol could effectively treat endometriosis in mice by reducing immune inflammatory cells and factors, angiogenesis, and fibrosis, increasing apoptosis of endometriotic lesions, and decreasing neurogenesis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society for Reproductive Investigation.)

This study used data from consumer testing, descriptive analysis (DA), and preference mapping to determine the sensory characteristics of pear cultivars from two harvest seasons in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). A trained sensory panel (n = 10) used generic DA to evaluate multiple sensory modalities of 22 pear cultivars. Six pears from summer and six from winter season were evaluated by consumers (n = 219) to assess their liking of different attributes. Results of the DA showed the trained panel significantly discriminated the summer and winter pears on most of the sensory modalities. To identify the attributes driving consumer acceptability, external preference mapping was applied. Attributes such as pear aroma, pear flavor, sweet, sour, and juicy were the most contributory attributes to the liking of the summer pears. Conversely, fermented aroma, stemmy-woody aroma, fermented flavor, stemmy-woody flavor, and grainy-gritty attributes were associated with a reduction in consumer liking. Summer cultivars, "Bartlett," coded pear 573, and "Seckel" had the broadest preference, satisfying 60% to 80% of the consumers. Seventy-five percent of the consumers identified winter cultivars "Comice" and "Paragon" as the most appealing. Overall, cluster analysis showed that different pears appeal to different types of consumers; however, summer cultivars like "Bartlett" and "Seckel" and winter cultivars like "Comice" and "Paragon" would appeal to the greatest number of consumers in the PNW market. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Sensory attributes like pear flavor, sweet, and juicy, were important drivers of liking for pear consumers in the Pacific Northwest. These results should prove useful to pear growers and marketers to increase pear consumption in the United States., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Food Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists.)

Background: The epidermis contains many structurally diverse ceramides, which form the skin permeability barrier (skin barrier). Mutations in genes involved in the synthesis of ω-O-acylceramides (acylceramides) and protein-bound ceramides cause ichthyosis., Objective: We aimed to elucidate the relationship between the degree of skin barrier impairment and changes in epidermal ceramide profiles caused by mutations in acylceramide synthesis genes., Methods: Knockout (KO) mice of three genes-fatty acid (FA) ω-hydroxylase Cyp4f39 (human CYP4F22 ortholog), FA elongase Elovl1, and acyl-CoA synthetase Fatp4-were subjected to transepidermal water loss measurement, toluidine blue staining, and epidermal ceramide profiling via liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry., Results: Transepidermal water loss was highest in Cyp4f39 KO mice, followed by Elovl1 KO and Fatp4 KO mice, and Cyp4f39 KO mice also showed the strongest degree of toluidine blue staining. In Cyp4f39 KO, Elovl1 KO, and Fatp4 KO mice, acylceramide levels were 0.6%, 1.6%, and 12%, respectively, of those in wild-type mice. Protein-bound ceramide levels were 0.2%, 30%, and 33%, respectively, of those in wild-type mice. We also observed a near-complete absence of ω-hydroxy ceramides in Cyp4f39 KO mice, reduced total ceramide levels and shortened FA moieties in Elovl1 KO mice, and increased hydroxylated ceramide levels and slightly shortened FA moieties in Fatp4 KO mice., Conclusions: The degree of reduction in protein-bound ceramide levels is probably related to the severity of skin barrier defects in these three strains. However, reduced acylceramide levels and other changes in ceramide composition unique to each KO strain are also involved., (Copyright © 2023 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study of the localization of secondary metabolites in both plants and the cell cultures on the intravital sections is hampered by the difficulty of obtaining thin, correctly oriented sections. Techniques for fixing tissues in resins allow these difficulties to be overcome. Properly selected tissue fixation techniques allow using different dyes to identify the compound of interest. In addition, some components of tissue fixation can act as fixatives and as a dye for identifying secondary metabolites. For example, osmium tetroxide, which fixes lipids in tissues, stains phenolic compounds black. This paper describes methods for the detection of phenolic compounds in morphogenic callus culture of buckwheat using osmium tetroxide, Toluidine Blue O dye, and ferric chloride as dyes in epoxy resin-embedded cell culture with double fixation of the material and when material fixed in Karnovsky's fixative., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The contrast agents and tumor treatments currently used in clinical practice are far from satisfactory, due to the specificity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Identification of diagnostic and therapeutic reagents with strong contrast and therapeutic effect remains a great challenge. Herein, a novel carbon dot nanozyme (Mn-CD) is synthesized for the first time using toluidine blue (TB) and manganese as raw materials. As expected, the enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging capability of Mn-CDs is realized in response to the TME (acidity and glutathione), and r 1 and r 2 relaxation rates are enhanced by 224% and 249%, respectively. In addition, the photostability of Mn-CDs is also improved, and show an efficient singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) yield of 1.68. Moreover, Mn-CDs can also perform high-efficiency peroxidase (POD)-like activity and catalyze hydrogen peroxide to hydroxyl radicals, which is greatly improved under the light condition. The results both in vitro and in vivo demonstrate that the Mn-CDs are able to achieve real-time MR imaging of TME responsiveness through aggregation of the enhanced permeability and retention effect at tumor sites and facilitate light-enhanced chemodynamic and photodynamic combination therapies. This work opens a new perspective in terms of the role of carbon nanomaterials in integrated diagnosis and treatment of diseases., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The extensive use and discharge of toluidine blue have caused serious problems to the water environment. As a green biocatalyst, laccase has the ability to decolorize the dyes, but it is limited by poor reusability and low stability. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a good platform for enzyme immobilization. However, due to the weak dispersion of MOFs, the enzyme activity is inevitably inhibited. Herein, we proposed to use graphene oxide (GO) as the dispersion medium of mesoporous ZIF-8 to construct MZIF-8/GO bi-carrier for laccase (FL) immobilization. On account of the narrower bandgap energy of FL@MZIF-8/GO (4.07 eV) than that of FL@MZIF-8 (4.69 eV), electron transport was enhanced which later increased the catalytic activity of the immobilized enzyme. Meanwhile, the improved hydrophilicity characterized by contact angle and full infiltration time further promoted the efficiency of the enzymatic reaction. Benefiting from such regulatory effects of GO, the composite showed excellent storage stability and reusability, as well as multifaceted enhancements including pH, thermal, and solvent adaptation. On the basis of the characterized synergistic effect of adsorption and degradation, FL@MZIF-8/GO was successfully applied to the degradation of toluidine blue (TB) with a removal rate of 94.8%. Even in actual treated wastewater, the highest removal rate still reached more than 80%. Based on the inner mechanism analysis and the universality study, this material is expected to be widely used in the degradation of pollutants in real water under complex environmental conditions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (Fe3O4- SDS) were used for the adsorption of cationic tolonium chloride (TC) dye from aqueous solution. The effects of temperature, pH, amount of nanoparticles and SDS concentration, stirring time, and interfering ions on dye adsorption were investigated. For TC, the maximum removal was 98 % in the best conditions (pH = 6; 0.6 g Fe3O4-SDS; 30 °C temperature, and 3 min stirring time). Data from the sorption kinetic studies showed the best fitting of the pseudo-second-order model for adsorption of the dye. The Langmuir isotherm showed better fitting of the data for TC adsorption by Fe3O4-SDS compared with the other models. The Fe3O4-SDS nanoparticles are easily synthesizable, magnetically recoverable, and regenerable, which increases their practical applications. Additionally, NaCl showed no significant impact on the dye removal up to 0.8 molar concentration, which increases the industrial application of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]