Bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) comprises >10% of total adipose mass, yet unlike white or brown adipose tissues (WAT or BAT) its metabolic functions remain unclear. Herein, we address this critical ...gap in knowledge. Our transcriptomic analyses revealed that BMAT is distinct from WAT and BAT, with altered glucose metabolism and decreased insulin responsiveness. We therefore tested these functions in mice and humans using positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with
F-fluorodeoxyglucose. This revealed that BMAT resists insulin- and cold-stimulated glucose uptake, while further in vivo studies showed that, compared to WAT, BMAT resists insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation. Thus, BMAT is functionally distinct from WAT and BAT. However, in humans basal glucose uptake in BMAT is greater than in axial bones or subcutaneous WAT and can be greater than that in skeletal muscle, underscoring the potential of BMAT to influence systemic glucose homeostasis. These PET/CT studies characterise BMAT function in vivo, establish new methods for BMAT analysis, and identify BMAT as a distinct, major adipose tissue subtype.
Myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) is a natural product known to inhibit vascular calcification (VC), but with limited potency and low plasma exposure following bolus administration. Here we report ...the design of a series of inositol phosphate analogs as crystallization inhibitors, among which 4,6-di-O-(methoxy-diethyleneglycol)-myo-inositol-1,2,3,5-tetrakis(phosphate), (OEG
)
-IP4, displays increased in vitro activity, as well as more favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles than IP6 after subcutaneous injection. (OEG
)
-IP4 potently stabilizes calciprotein particle (CPP) growth, consistently demonstrates low micromolar activity in different in vitro models of VC (i.e., human serum, primary cell cultures, and tissue explants), and largely abolishes the development of VC in rodent models, while not causing toxicity related to serum calcium chelation. The data suggest a mechanism of action independent of the etiology of VC, whereby (OEG
)
-IP4 disrupts the nucleation and growth of pathological calcification.
A novel coupling of titanium dioxide (TiO
2
) with iron-nickel oxide (Fe
2
NiO
4
) nanoparticles (NPs) is attained in this work by solid state blending technique and investigated as a promising ...photocatalyst for textile wastewater treatment. The NPs were examined to identify the crystalline structure, surface morphology, and size distribution. The photodegradation of highly concentrated acid orange 7 (AO7) aqueous solution under UV-irradiation was optimized for both NPs coupling ratio and solution acidity (pH). Coupling TiO
2
with Fe
2
NiO
4
led to the enhancement by 87% of the first-order kinetic rate constant (
k
) of the photocatalytic reaction, when compared to that of only TiO
2
NPs. Under optimized conditions, complete color removal of 50 mg/L AO7 aqueous solution was successfully achieved after 40 min of UV- irradiation using only 100 mg/L of TiO
2
/Fe
2
NiO
4
with the optimized ratio of 2 wt.% of Fe
2
NiO
4
with respect to TiO
2
, where it was associated to the best photocatalytic degradation process of AO7 under UV-irradiation. Moreover, the AO7 solution with pH= of 9 shows the highest degradation performance, while the degradation at pH of 3 and 12 is comparable and significantly higher than the quasi neutral solution (pH equal to 6.5). For optimized conditions, the electrical energy consumption at the optimized conditions, expressed as electric energy per order, is 50.3 kWh/m
3
.
Caloric restriction (CR) reduces the risk of age-related diseases in numerous species, including humans. CR's metabolic effects, including decreased adiposity and improved insulin sensitivity, are ...important for its broader health benefits; however, the extent and basis of sex differences in CR's health benefits are unknown. We found that 30% CR in young (3-month-old) male mice decreased fat mass and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, whereas these effects were blunted or absent in young females. Females' resistance to fat loss was associated with decreased lipolysis, energy expenditure and fatty acid oxidation, and increased postprandial lipogenesis, compared to males. The sex differences in glucose homeostasis were not associated with differential glucose uptake but with altered hepatic ceramide content and substrate metabolism: compared to CR males, CR females had lower TCA cycle activity and higher blood ketone concentrations, a marker of hepatic acetyl-CoA content. This suggests that males use hepatic acetyl-CoA for the TCA cycle whereas in females it accumulates, stimulating gluconeogenesis and limiting hypoglycaemia during CR. In aged mice (18-months old), when females are anoestrus, CR decreased fat mass and improved glucose homeostasis similarly in both sexes. Finally, in a cohort of overweight and obese humans, CR-induced fat loss was also sex- and age-dependent: younger females (<45 years) resisted fat loss compared to younger males while in older subjects (>45 years) this sex difference was absent. Collectively, these studies identify age-dependent sex differences in the metabolic effects of CR and highlight adipose tissue, the liver and oestrogen as key determinants of CR's metabolic benefits. These findings have important implications for understanding the interplay between diet and health, and for maximising the benefits of CR in humans.
The coupling behavior of the wide field surface plasmon microscopy (WF-SPRM) with single-, two-, and multiple-gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with different AuNPs sizes is investigated using theoretical, ...simulation, and experimental approaches. The signal intensity of a single AuNP increases from 208 a.u. to 583 a.u. as particle size increases from 40 to 80 nm, which evidences the signal-building mechanism of Rayleigh scattering theory. A discrete particle model of SPR is used to understand the interaction between an Au-layer and a single AuNP. The calculated intensity profile of the single AuNP from the discrete particle model is accepted with the experimental data. In addition, the superposition between 2-AuNPs surface plasmon waves is studied using the finite element method as well as experimental data from WF-SPRM. The surface plasmon waves around the two particles generate an interference pattern. Finally, it is demonstrated that plasmonic multiple particles scattering can be represented by an effective media, which is described by Maxwell-Garnet equations.
Imaging wide-field surface plasmon resonance (SPR) microscopy sensors based on polyacrylic acid polyelectrolyte brushes (PAA PEBs) were designed to enhance the sensitivity of nano-object detection. ...The switching behavior of the PAA PEBs against changes in the pH values was investigated by analyzing the chemical, morphological, optical, and electrical properties. At pH ~1, the brushes collapse on the surface with the dominance of carboxylic groups (COOH). Upon the increase in the pH to nine, the switching process completes, and the brushes swell from dissociating most of the COOH groups and converting them into COO- groups. The domination of the negatively charged COO- groups increases the electrostatic repulsion in the polymer chains and stretches the brushes. The sensitivity of the SPR sensing device was investigated using a theoretical approach, as well as experimental measurements. The signal-to-noise ratio for a Au layer increases from six to eighteen after coating with PAA PEBs. In addition, the linewidth of the recorded image decreases from six pixels to five pixels by using the Au-PAA layers, which results from the enhanced spatial resolution of the recorded images. Coating a Au-layer with PAA PEBs enhances the sensitivity of the SPR sensing device, and improves the spatial resolution of the recorded image.
Emerging pollutants represent a new global problem for water quality. As these compounds get into the environment, they cause severe threats to aquatic environments and human health and are typically ...resistant to conventional wastewater treatments. In this work, TiO2 nanoparticles surface was functionalized with silver (Ag) nanoparticles, and solvent cast and electrospun membranes of poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) were prepared with different concentrations of TiO2 and Ag–TiO2 to produce a multifunctional material. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was evaluated through the degradation of norfloxacin under ultraviolet (UV) and visible radiation. It is shown that nanocomposites with Ag–TiO2 show the highest degradation efficiencies: 64.2% under UV and 80.7% under visible radiation, for 90 and 300 min, respectively.
Furthermore, the recyclability of the membranes has also been demonstrated. Finally, it is shown the antimicrobial activity of the nanocomposite membranes, demonstrating the suitability of the Ag–TiO2/PVDF-HFP nanocomposites as multifunctional photocatalytic and antimicrobial membranes for water remediation applications.
Display omitted
•Synthesis of Ag–TiO2 nanocomposites with ability to absorb visible radiation.•Production of Ag–TiO2/PVDF-HFP membranes with different morphologies.•Photocatalytic efficiency tested with norfloxacin under visible and UV radiation.•Antimicrobial tests were performed against two bacteria species (gram + and gram -).
Polyethylene oxide (PEO) complexed with molecular iodine (
I
2
) forming PEO/
I
2
complex composites stand‐free films were investigated using dielectric relaxation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ...(XPS), UV–Vis spectrophotometry, structural and morphological techniques. Scanning electron microscopy was used to monitor the variation in the surface morphology and the related roughness. 2D Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements enabled to observe the distribution of iodine on the film surface. High resolution XPS measurements were used to define the iodine anion types and the metallic iodine existence, as well as the relevant concentrations based on the binding energies. The dielectric relaxation measurements were carried out over the frequency range from 0.1 to 10
7
Hz and temperature range from 155 to 330 K. Dielectric loss (ε′′) curves were fitted to the Havriliak–Negami (HN) model for one and/or two relaxation peaks (α and β), with and without the electrical conductivity contribution term, in order to deduce the relaxation time (τ) and the dielectric strengths (Δ
ε
), in addition to the electrical conductivities (
σ
). The temperature-dependent data of β- and σ- relaxations follow the law of Arrhenius thermal activation indicating the presence of typical glass-forming polymers. Δ
ε
of α-relaxation obeys the curvature pattern of Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) thermal activation law. The electrical conductivity of the system increases 6000 folds by doping PEO with 5 wt% of iodine at the same temperature (293 K).
Abstract
18
F-sodium fluoride (
18
F-NaF) is a positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer widely used in skeletal imaging and has also been proposed as a biomarker of active calcification in ...atherosclerosis. Like most PET radiotracers,
18
F-NaF is typically administered intravenously. However in small animal research intravenous administrations can be challenging, because partial paravenous injection is common due to the small calibre of the superficial tail veins and repeat administrations via tail veins can lead to tissue injury therefore limiting the total number of longitudinal scanning points. In this paper, the feasibility of using intra-peritoneal route of injection of
8
F-NaF to study calcification in mice was studied by looking at the kinetic and uptake profiles of normal soft tissues and bones versus intra-vascular injections. Dynamic PET was performed for 60 min on nineteen isoflurane-anesthetized male Swiss mice after femoral artery (n = 7), femoral vein (n = 6) or intraperitoneal (n = 6) injection of
8
F-NaF. PET data were reconstructed and the standardised uptake value (SUV) and standardised uptake value ratio (SUVr) were estimated from the last three frames between 45- and 60-min and
8
F-NaF uptake constant (
K
i
) was derived by Patlak graphical analysis. In soft tissue, the
18
F-NaF perfusion phase changes depending on the type on injection route, whereas the uptake phase is similar regardless of the administration route. In bone tissue SUV, SUVr and
K
i
measures were not significantly different between the three administration routes. Comparison between PET and CT measures showed that bones that had the highest CT density displayed the lowest PET activity and conversely, bones where CT units were low had high
8
F-NaF uptake. Intraperitoneal injection is a valid and practical alternative to the intra-vascular injections in small-animal
18
F-NaF PET imaging providing equivalent pharmacokinetic data. CT outcome measures report on sites of stablished calcification whereas PET measures sites of higher complexity and active calcification.
TiO2:Au-based photocatalysis represents a promising alternative to remove contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from wastewater under sunlight irradiation. However, spherical Au nanoparticles, ...generally used to sensitize TiO2, still limit the photocatalytic spectral band to the 520 nm region, neglecting a high part of sun radiation. Here, a ligand-free synthesis of TiO2:Au nanostars is reported, substantially expanding the light absorption spectral region. TiO2:Au nanostars with different Au component sizes and branching were generated and tested in the degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Interestingly, nanoparticles with the smallest branching showed the highest photocatalytic degradation, 83% and 89% under UV and visible radiation, together with a threshold in photocatalytic activity in the red region. The applicability of these multicomponent nanoparticles was further explored with their incorporation into a porous matrix based on PVDF-HFP to open the way for a reusable energy cost-effective system in the photodegradation of polluted waters containing CECs.
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