FABP5 in skin macrophages mediates saturated fat-induced IL-1β signaling in psoriatic inflammation.

High fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity increases the risk and severity of psoriasis. However, the immunoregulatory effects of different HFDs on psoriasis pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, mimicking human dietary fat profiles, four HFDs-saturated, monounsaturated, omega-6, and omega-3 fats-were designed and used to induce obesity in mice.

An Olive Oil-Based High-Fat Diet Promotes Obesity-Driven Metastasis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Obesity is strongly associated with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving obesity-induced TNBC progression could facilitate development of precision dietary intervention strategies. Here, we used murine models of obesity induced by different high-fat diets (HFDs) to examine their impact on TNBC progression.

Tandem Silicon Photovoltaic/Hydrovoltaic Devices for Synergistic Utilization of Solar Energy.

In conventional photovoltaic (PV) devices, sub-bandgap photons remain unutilized, contributing to heat accumulation and temperature-induced efficiency losses. Here, we present a tandem silicon photovoltaic/hydrovoltaic (PV/HV) device designed for synergistic and highly efficient solar energy utilization. In this configuration, photons with energies above the silicon bandgap drive PV electricity generation, while the remaining solar energy is converted into thermal energy to facilitate water evaporation, enabling HV electricity generation and water purification.

Expression profiles of FABP4 and FABP5 in breast cancer: clinical implications and perspectives.

The incidence of breast cancer continues to rise each year despite significant advances in diagnosis and treatment. Obesity-associated dysregulated lipid metabolism is believed to contribute to the increasing risk of breast cancer. However, the mechanisms linking lipid dysregulation to breast cancer risk and progression remain to be determined.

FABP4-mediated lipid accumulation and lipolysis in tumor associated macrophages promote breast cancer metastasis.

Unlabelled: A high density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is associated with poorer prognosis and survival in breast cancer patients. Recent studies have shown that lipid accumulation in TAMs can promote tumor growth and metastasis in various models. However, the specific molecular mechanisms that drive lipid accumulation and tumor progression in TAMs remain largely unknown.

Surface Modification of Silicon Nanowires with Siloxane Molecules for High-Performance Hydrovoltaic Devices.

Hydrovoltaic devices (HDs) based on silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have attracted significant attention due to their potential of high output power and good compatibility with Si-based photovoltaic devices for integrated power systems. However, it remains a major challenge to further improve the output performance of SiNW HDs for practical applications. Here, a new strategy to modify the surface of SiNWs with siloxane molecules is proposed to improve the output performance of the SiNW HDs.

Cytological evidence of BSD2 functioning in both chloroplast division and dimorphic chloroplast formation in maize leaves.

Background: Maize bsd2 (bundle sheath defective2) is a classical C mutant with defective C photosynthesis, accompanied with reduced accumulation of Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase) and aberrant mature chloroplast morphology in the bundle sheath (BS) cells. However, as a hypothetical chloroplast chaperone, the effects of BSD2 on C chloroplast development have not been fully examined yet, which precludes a full appreciation of BSD2 function in C photosynthesis. The aims of our study are to find out the role ofBSD2 in regulating chloroplasts development in maize leaves, and to add new insights into our understanding of C biology.

Gibberellin indirectly promotes chloroplast biogenesis as a means to maintain the chloroplast population of expanded cells.

Chloroplast biogenesis needs to be well coordinated with cell division and cell expansion during plant growth and development to achieve optimal photosynthesis rates. Previous studies showed that gibberellins (GAs) regulate many important plant developmental processes, including cell division and cell expansion. However, the relationship between chloroplast biogenesis with cell division and cell expansion, and how GA coordinately regulates these processes, remains poorly understood.

Multiphoton microscopic imaging of in vivo hair mouse skin based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation.

Mouse is an important animal model to investigate skin physiological and pathological states. In this article, multiphoton microscopic imaging of in vivo hair mouse skin based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation was examined. Our results show that multiphoton microscopy can clearly display microstructure of stratum corneum, stratum spinosum, and dermis of in vivo mouse skin.

Multiphoton microscopy study of the morphological and quantity changes of collagen and elastic fiber components in keloid disease.

Multiphoton microscopy was used to study the extracellular matrix of keloid at the molecular level without tissue fixation and staining. Direct imaging of collagen and elastin was achieved by second harmonic generation and two-photon excited fluorescence, respectively. The morphology and quantity of collagen and elastin in keloid were characterized and quantitatively analyzed in comparison to normal skin.

Label-free discrimination of normal and fibroadenomal breast tissues using second harmonic generation imaging.

Early detection of fibroadenoma (FA) is critical for preventing subsequent breast cancer. In this work, we show that label-free second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging is feasible and effective in quantitatively differentiating the fibroadenomal tissue from normal breast tissue. With the advent of the clinical portability of miniature SHG microscopy, we believe that the technique has great potential in offering a noninvasive in vivo imaging tool for early detection of FA and monitoring the treatment responses of FA in clinics.

Quantification of scar margin in keloid different from atrophic scar by multiphoton microscopic imaging.

Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) was applied to examine the marginal region at dermis of keloid compared with atrophic scar. High-resolution large-area image showed an obvious boundary at the scar margin and different morphological patterns of elastin and collagen on the two sides, further visualized by the focused three-dimensional images. Content alteration of elastin or collagen between the two sides of boundary was quantified to show significant difference between keloid and atrophic scar.

Establishing diagnostic features for identifying the mucosa and submucosa of normal and cancerous gastric tissues by multiphoton microscopy.

Background: Establishing diagnostic features is essential and significant for developing multiphoton endoscopy to make an early diagnosis of gastric cancer at the cellular level. Until now, these diagnostic features have not been clearly described and understood.

Design: Study of diagnostic features based on multiphoton microscopy (MPM).

Label-free monitoring of colonic cancer progression using multiphoton microscopy.

Real-time histology or virtual biopsy for the diagnosis of colonic cancer is of great medical significance. In this work, we show that label-free multiphoton imaging is feasible and effective in monitoring colonic cancer progression by providing cellular and subcellular details in fresh, unfixed, unstained colonic specimens. Our results also demonstrate the capability of using tissue quantitative analysis of the redox ratio for quantifying colonic cancer progression.

Two-photon fluorescence and second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen in human tissue based on multiphoton microscopy.

Multiphoton microscopic imaging of collagen plays an important role in noninvasive diagnoses of human tissue. In this study, two-photon fluorescence and second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging of collagen in human skin dermis and submucosa of colon and stomach tissues were investigated based on multiphoton microscopy (MPM). Our results show that multiphoton microscopic image of collagen bundles exhibits apparently different pattern in human tissues.

Characteristics of scar margin dynamic with time based on multiphoton microscopy.

Scar margins dynamic with time were quantitatively characterized using multiphoton microscopy (MPM). 2D large-area and 3D focused images of elastin and collagen at scar margins were obtained to extract quantitative parameters. An obvious boundary was observed at the scar margin, showing altered morphological patterns of elastin and collagen on both sides.

Multiphoton microscopic imaging of normal human rectum tissue.

In this paper, multiphoton microscopy (MPM), based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation signals, was used to image microstructures of human rectal mucosa and submucosa. The morphology and distribution of the main components in mucosa layer, goblet cells, intestinal glands, and a little collagen fibers have been clearly monitored, and the content and distribution of collagen, elastic fibers, and blood vessels in submucosa layer have also been distinctly obtained. The variation of these components is very relevant to the pathology in gastrointestinal system, especially early rectal cancer.

Stromal optical properties: differentiating normal and cancerous stroma.

This work reports on the measurement of optical properties from nine normal and cancerous human esophageal stroma pairs using reflectance-based confocal microscopy. It was found that the scattering coefficient of cancerous stroma is significantly lower than that of normal stroma. The results suggest that the decreased scattering in cancerous stroma may provide a possible indicator for differentiating normal and cancerous stroma.

Monitoring dermal wound healing after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation using nonlinear optical microscopy.

Nonlinear optical microscopy (NLOM) was applied for monitoring dermal wound healing after mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation. Our results showed that NLOM can reveal different regeneration processes of collagen in nontreated and MSC-treated wound dermis. Specifically, the temporal increases in the intensity of second-harmonic-generation signals can quantify kinetic properties of collagen regeneration.

Multiphoton laser scanning microscopy of localized scleroderma.

Background/purpose: A real-time, non-invasive method will confer a benefit for the diagnosis and treatment of localized scleroderma (LS) in the clinic. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the potential of multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM) for diagnosing LS and monitoring the treatment response in vivo.

Methods: Three sclerodermatous skin specimens and two normal skin specimens were investigated using MPLSM based on two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG).

Quantified characterization of human cutaneous normal scar using multiphoton microscopy.

The morphological alterations of human cutaneous normal scar were quantitatively analyzed using multiphoton microscopy (MPM) based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation. High-contrast, high-resolution images of normal scar and uninjured skin were obtained for comparison. In addition, some quantitative parameters have been extracted to quantitatively discriminate between normal scar and uninjured skin.

Jadassohn-Pellizzari anetoderma: study of multiphoton microscopy based on two-photon excited fluorescence and second harmonic generation.

Anetoderma is a rare skin disease with loss of dermal elastic tissue resulting in clinically localized areas of flaccid or herniated sack-like skin. In this study, we report a case of Jadassohn-Pellizzari anetoderma, in a 21-year-old Chinese female with an 18-year history of progressively generalized wrinkled skin lesions. Multiphoton microscopy based on two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG) was firstly employed to investigate the pathological process from unaffected skin to the erythematous phase and finally with affected skin of this case.