Background: Increased mammographic density (MD) is a strong and independent risk factor for breast cancer. Lifetime oestrogenic exposure is associated with increased MD, however androgenic effects on MD have not been widely investigated. Methods: We studied the effect of 17 β -oestradiol (E2) alone or in combination with an androgen receptor (AR) agonist ( 5 α -dihydrotestosterone [DHT]) or a selective AR modulator (Enobosarm), in modulating MD as measured via single-sided Portable NMR in a patient-derived explant (PDE) model of normal human mammary tissue. Results: We observed an upward trend in explants treated with E2 alone in 3/6 cases, an effect which appeared to be somewhat influenced by menopausal status. Co-treatment of E2 with the AR agonists DHT or Enobosarm however effected a downward trend in regards to MD. E2 significantly upregulated the ER regulated genes (ERGs) CELSR2 and AR , and the AR regulated genes SEC14L2 and GRPC5A , whereas E2 in combination with AR agonist Enobosarm downregulated ERGs SERPINA3, ATP6V1B1 , TFF1 and PR regulated gene RANK . Only GREB1 and CLIC6 were upregulated by E2 and downregulated by the combination of E2 with Enobosarm. DHT + E2 exhibited no significant difference in expression of ER, AR or PR genes examined, compared with the effect of E2 alone. A negative trend was observed between ER protein levels and MD increase in PDEs. Since ER protein gets degraded upon hormone activation, this observation supports active ER signalling in the promotion of MD. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings supports the utility of single-sided Portable NMR for the measurement of MD in explanted human mammary tissue to detect MD change in response to exogenous hormone treatments. A mechanism through which activation of AR may reduce MD as a potential mechanism for reducing breast cancer risk associated to high MD is discussed. Keywords Mammographic density , oestrogen , androgen , single-sided portable NMR , patient-derived explants , , culture
In view of the global pandemic that started in 2020, caused by COVID-19, the importance of the existence of fast, reliable, cheap diagnostic techniques capable of detecting the virus even in the first days of infection became evident. This review discusses studies involving the use of spectroscopic techniques in the detection of viruses in clinical samples. Techniques based on mid-infrared, near-infrared, Raman, and molecular fluorescence are explained and it was demonstrated how they can be used in conjunction with computational tools of multivariate analysis to build models capable of detecting viruses. Studies that used real clinical samples from 2011 to 2021 were analyzed. The results demonstrate the potential of the techniques in detecting viruses. Spectroscopic techniques, as well as chemometric techniques, were also explained. Viral diagnosis based on spectroscopy has interesting advantages compared to standard techniques such as: fast results, no need for reagents, non-destructiveness for the sample, no need for sample preparation, relatively low cost, among others. Several studies have corroborated the real possibility that, in the near future, we may have spectroscopic tools being successfully applied in viral diagnosis.
When light is illuminated using a broad spectrum and detected without physical contact between source and detector the method is often referred as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Combined with newest computational algorithms, DRS may reach high performance in near future in tissue characterization and pathology. In this study, we show that DRS can be used to automatically differentiate untreated fresh liver tissue from heat-induced and chemically induced tissue denaturation in bovine liver ex vivo. For this, we used a thresholding algorithm that was developed and tested using 10-fold cross validation. Our results indicate that DRS has potential to detect pathological tissue processes that result in tissue injury and ultimately tissue necrosis. The detection of necrosis is important for many medical applications, not least for tissue sampling by biopsy needle, where additional guidance to commonly used ultrasound would be welcome. Furthermore, cancer tissue is prone to necrosis as a result of tissue hypoxia and due to cancer treatments.
The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating effects on the lives of populations across the world.The scientific community and their work was not immune from its harmful effects.Many scientists died from COVID-19 infection, including young and senior scientists.To prevent the spread of the virus, restrictions and lockdowns were introduced.Universities and research laboratories were shut down.This prevented researchers from carrying out laboratory experiments.It is, therefore, not surprising that a decline in scientific productivity has been reported [1][2][3][4][5].One size does not fit all, and not all researchers were affected equally by the COVID-19 pandemic.For example, women, parents of young children and people from certain racial groups were most affected [1-5].It is not surprising that mental health of researchers were affected due to the diverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.The author of this article lost close relatives and friends due to COVID-19 infection in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.It created fear and uncertainty that disturbed the normal pattern of life we took for granted, at least in those parts of the world unaffected by war, famine or other disasters.The field of spectroscopy, which is the key focus of this journal, showed a decline in the number of publications in 2022 (see Fig. 1).The number of publications in the field of spectroscopy has been progressively increasing year by year and the decline in 2022 can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.Spectroscopic measurements require access to instruments in laboratories which were closed during the pandemic, preventing generation of new data.Travel restrictions prevented scientists from visiting other countries and working with their collaborators.Access to specialised equipment such as synchrotron, X-ray and other techniques were not possible.Furthermore, the negative impacts of the COVID-19 on the lives of spectroscopists, including their mental health, have played a role in reducing their productivity [1][2][3][4][5].It is hard to say anything positive about the COVID-19 pandemic considering its devastating effect on human lives.However, one cannot ignore the fact it did have some positive impacts for science.This includes the development of novel vaccines and anti-virals.It also triggered scientific research and clinical trials on natural products including traditional medicines for their potential anti-viral effects.
Background: Increased mammographic density (MD) is a strong and independent risk factor for breast cancer. Lifetime oestrogenic exposure is associated with increased MD, however androgenic effects on MD have not been widely investigated. Methods: We studied the effect of 17 β-oestradiol (E2) alone or in combination with an androgen receptor (AR) agonist ( 5 α-dihydrotestosterone [DHT]) or a selective AR modulator (Enobosarm), in modulating MD as measured via single-sided Portable NMR in a patient-derived explant (PDE) model of normal human mammary tissue. Results: We observed an upward trend in explants treated with E2 alone in 3/6 cases, an effect which appeared to be somewhat influenced by menopausal status. Co-treatment of E2 with the AR agonists DHT or Enobosarm however effected a downward trend in regards to MD. E2 significantly upregulated the ER regulated genes (ERGs) CELSR2 and AR, and the AR regulated genes SEC14L2 and GRPC5A, whereas E2 in combination with AR agonist Enobosarm downregulated ERGs SERPINA3, ATP6V1B1, TFF1 and PR regulated gene RANK. Only GREB1 and CLIC6 were upregulated by E2 and downregulated by the combination of E2 with Enobosarm. DHT + E2 exhibited no significant difference in expression of ER, AR or PR genes examined, compared with the effect of E2 alone. A negative trend was observed between ER protein levels and MD increase in PDEs. Since ER protein gets degraded upon hormone activation, this observation supports active ER signalling in the promotion of MD. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings supports the utility of single-sided Portable NMR for the measurement of MD in explanted human mammary tissue to detect MD change in response to exogenous hormone treatments. A mechanism through which activation of AR may reduce MD as a potential mechanism for reducing breast cancer risk associated to high MD is discussed.
Exposure to As from drinking water and its impact on the health of the Bangladeshi population has received much attention. However, very little information is available regarding As exposure through consumption of fish, which is the main source of animal protein for the majority of Bangladeshis. In this study, concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Mn Se and Zn in different types of fish, consumed by Bangladeshis, were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Daily intakes of the toxic elements As, Cd and Pb through fish consumption were estimated to be 31.8, 0.4 and 4.8 μg/day, respectively. Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) contained the highest concentrations of total As (mean ± SD was 2.55 ± 1.3 mg/kg; n = 15) among the fish analysed. However, toxic inorganic As species were not detected. The dominant As species in Hilsa fish were: dimethylarsenic acid, arsenobetaine and arsenosugars, at 69, 11 and 20% of total As, respectively. The high concentration of Cd detected in Hilsa eggs (average 278 ± 518 μg/kg; range 7.4–1725 μg/kg; n = 10) is of concern since this may have harmful effects on the development of embryos and lead to a decline in the Hilsa population or the quality of the fish. It can also be harmful to those who consume Hilsa eggs on a regular basis. Selenium was found to be highest in Shoal (Micropterus cataractae) fish and a type of small fish, and lowest in Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosis). Small fish species contained Mn and Zn at 7.1- and 4.3-fold higher concentrations, respectively, compared to big fish species. Keski (Corica soborna), a small fish species, contained by far the highest concentrations of Mn (52 mg/kg) and Zn (140 mg/kg), although the concentration of As (1.4 mg/kg) in this fish was lower than that of several other fish species. Small fish species are often consumed whole, including the bones, and therefore the essential trace elements present are potentially bioavailable for cellular metabolism. Our study shows that the Bangladeshi population can easily meet their daily requirement of Se and Zn from consumption of fish such as Shoal fish (Se and Zn), Hilsa fish (Se and Zn) and Keski fish (Se and Zn). Consumption of small fish (such as Keski) and big fish (such as Hilsa) from Bangladesh can provide valuable sources of essential trace elements as part of a balanced diet and thus negate the need for supplements and biofortification of certain foods. Ours is a small study and a detailed total dietary intake and human biomonitoring studies, that includes coverage of different socio-economic groups, are needed in Bangladesh before giving people supplements or biofortified foods.
Besides NMR and X-ray crystallography, FTIR and CD spectroscopy are widely considered to be useful for determining protein secondary structure. These techniques can be used to obtain data in few minutes, using small quantities of proteins, which make them amenable for proteomics research. Here we explore the possibility of using artificial intelligence techniques to simultaneously analyse both FTIR and CD spectroscopic data for an identical set of proteins. Neural network analysis was carried out on normalised regions of FTIR (1700-1600 cm−1) and CD (180-259 nm) spectral data both with and without boxcar averaging in order to quantify the average length and percentages of secondary structures. A hybrid genetic algorithm/neural network approach, that automatically selects structure-sensitive wavelength/frequency, was used for the quantification of the protein secondary structure. Using this algorithm we also successfully identified the region of the CD spectrum that contains the most structure-sensitive information. This was located between 214-251 nm, suggesting that this region alone may be sufficient to rapidly determine the secondary structure content from CD spectral data. Overall, CD spectroscopic analysis produced better results compared to FTIR spectroscopy when selected wavelengths were used, although FTIR was better when the entire region between 1700-1600 cm−1 (FTIR), and 180-259 nm (CD), was subjected to neural network analysis. Application of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) with fuzzy subtractive clustering for the analysis of the spectral data led to a slightly better prediction of the average helix/sheet length for FTIR spectroscopy compared to CD. Our findings reveal the potential of using artificial intelligence techniques for not only extracting structural information but also for better understanding of the relationship between complex spectral data and biologically important information.
Background and Objective: Diabetic problems are more common in the lower extremity and linked with high mortality rate which affects public health system. The present study focused on monitoring the changes in tissue oxygenation concentrations using Near infrared spectroscopy system along with temperature and hardness of the foot tissues. Methods: Control subjects (without diabetes) and diabetic patients without neuropathy were selected for this study and three standard foot risk areas were considered. Standard induced ischemic stimulus was given to assess the response of the designed system and to analyze the changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin levels during venous occlusion. Results: Results showed significant differences in the tissue oxygenation index value in all three standard areas where oxygenation value at the foot areas were significantly low ( p < 0.05) in diabetic group as compared to control group. Also, significant difference were found in tissue hardness value when comparing between groups, where the diabetic group had significantly high ( p < 0.05) tissue hardness at area 5 and area 8 as compared to control groups. Conclusion: Therefore, the present study concludes that high tissue hardness had significant effect on tissue oxygenation index that affects vascular circulation and this condition could be assessable using NIRS technique in order to find risky areas at the foot sole.
This paper was on the determination of cadmium in water using co-precipitation and neutron activation analysis whilst
The development of non-invasive blood glucose measuring devices continues to be developed. The photosensor is one of the instruments for detection the blood glucose, and the high performance of sensor is depending on the optical properties. Consequently, the observation about optical properties of Ba 0.2 Sr 0.8 TiO 3 (Barium Strontium Titanate) is important. In this paper, a solution of Ba 0.2 Sr 0.8 TiO 3 (Barium Strontium Titanate) with chlorophyll extract from spinach and papaya leaves has been deposited on the p-type Si (100) by spin coating technique. This research aims to find the effects of presence of chlorophyll in the Ba 0.2 Sr 0.8 TiO 3 films according to their optical properties and phonon mode. The film fabricated consisting of BST, BST with 2.5% spinach chlorophyll, BST with 5% spinach chlorophyll, BST with 2.5% papaya chlorophyll, and BST with 5% papaya chlorophyll. Therefore, the characterization was using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and micro Raman spectroscopy. The result showed that the addition of papaya chlorophyll have the optimal character than spinach chlorophyll. BST with papaya chlorophyll showed a significant decrease in the energy gap. Also, it has a phonon mode with a Raman shift that supports the result. Keywords Ba , Sr , TiO , films , chlorophyll , spin coating , UV-Vis , Micro-Raman
Cyanobacterial photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) complexes were assembled on a gold nanoparticle (GNP) to generate a biohybrid photocatalyst. Optical absorption and fluorescence measurements of the generated GNP conjugates showed signals from both PSI and PSII. Moreover, single-particle fluorescence analysis using a cryogenic microscopy provided definitive evidence that both PSI and PSII complexes are bound together to a single GNP. This PSI-GNP-PSII conjugate will be a useful platform for further development of a water-splitting nanodevice for hydrogen production using solar energy.
In many scientific fields there is a high interest to study molecular adsorption processes on surfaces. The adsorbed molecule can have significant impact on the properties of the material under study, for example protein adsorption to inorganic material can enhance its biocompatibility. Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is a suitable method to monitor such adsorption processes close to a surface. In this study, ZnO films were synthesized on silicon ATR substrates via a mild hydrothermal reaction. The films were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FTIR microscopy. Chemical imaging with FTIR microscopy allowed to analyze the composition of the heterogeneous film samples. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was then applied to investigate the adsorption properties of the ZnO films. Protein solutions of bovine serum albumine (BSA) were circulated in a closed cycle over the ZnO film and IR spectra were recorded during the adsorption process. A stronger protein adsorption was observed for silicon substrates coated with ZnO than for plain silicon. Furthermore, subsequent flushing with pure water and desorption measurements indicated a stronger protein binding to ZnO than to plain silicon.
Vibrational spectroscopic techniques have recently gained increasing clinical importance as non-invasive, rapid and inexpensive methods to obtain information on the content of biological samples. For some time Raman spectroscopy has been involved in preclinical applications, mainly in the cancer space, with evolving applications towards new horizons in the dermatology and companion diagnostics arena. It is attractive as an analytical technique due to its exquisite sensitivity, label-free operation and low water detectivity such that in-vivo applications are possible. In cytometry, Raman spectroscopy has been applied to the analysis of single cells providing a label-free alternative to cell classification approaches in the laboratory. In this review we collate in-vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo examples of research using Raman spectroscopy for the detection, quantification and analysis of immune signaling at the cellular level. While cancer biology has recently focussed on the role of immunological signals in the development of the disease, it is timely to examine these applications as research in this space evolves.
In pandemic times, like the one we are witnessing for COVID-19, the discussion about new efficient and rapid techniques for diagnosis of diseases is more evident. In this mini-review, we present to the virological scientific community the potential of attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy as a diagnosis technique. Herein, we explain the operation of this technique, as well as its advantages over standard methods. In addition, we also present the multivariate analysis tools that can be used to extract useful information from the data towards classification purposes. Tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Successive Projections Algorithm (SPA), Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Linear and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (LDA and QDA) are covered, including examples of published studies. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy are emphasized, as well as future prospects in this field of study that is only growing. One of the main aims of this paper is to encourage the scientific community to explore the potential of this spectroscopic tool to detect changes in biological samples such as those caused by the presence of viruses.
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, represents a major global health chal-lenge. It is devastating the lives of people around the world. The scientific community, through the application of advanced scientific techniques, can play an important role in helping to relieve some of the suffering. However, for this to be effective, changes are needed in the way scientific research is conducted. Silo mentality in science has slowed down progress, despite greater awareness regarding breaking barriers between different spheres of knowledge. The story of five blind men [Fig. 1] each giving their description about the elephant, on the basis of what they touched, is equally applicable in the way scientific research is carried out. Often it is not possible to get the “full picture” of a particular system due to research being confined within boundaries set by specific techniques or disciplines. The Covid-19 pandemic provides a window of opportunity to break down such barriers and develop better coordination, cooperation and collaboration to achieve scientific breakthroughs, at least in areas where saving human lives is concerned. There is no doubt that one such area is disease diagnosis and the development of drugs and vaccines. Spectroscopic imaging
Force Spectroscopy (FS), which is one of the operating modes of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) technique proven to be useful in many biological and medical applications, such as cancer cells recognition. Currently, many scientific institutions carry on research on the Young’s modulus of individual cancer cells in order to detect the disease at an early stage of its development. As a result of the growing interest in the use of force spectroscopy to study cells’ mechanic, this review summarizes new applications of this method to study changes in the physical and chemical properties of cells under the influence of external stimuli of different origins. The work is divided into four research areas, in which the use of AFM force spectroscopy was used to explain phenomena occurring at the early stages of intracellular organization changes. Research areas presented in this manuscript focuses on detailed description of the effect of manifold external stimuli on cells, such as: (i) cell aging, (ii) active ingredients used in the cosmetics industry to improve skin condition, (iii) nanoparticles used in biomedicine, and (iv) micro- and nano-structures of topography on the surface of substrates used for cell cultures. This review is based on a critical analysis of the latest literature reports (seven of which were created with Author’s contribution) describing the use of force spectroscopy as an effective tool to study the mechanical properties of living cells.
BACKGROUND: There is considerable interest in developing faster, less invasive, and more objective techniques to diagnose type 2 diabetes mellits (T2DM). Optical techniques like Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are efficient, precise, low-cost, portable, and easy to handle, which seem to overcome most of the present difficulties of actual tests for T2DM diagnosis. However, the use of both Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been limited for T2DM diagnosis or follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To gather information regarding the use of Raman spectroscopy and SERS to evaluate the spectra of biofluids (blood components, saliva, and urine) and tissues (skin) as an early diagnostic tool or follow-up for T2DM. RESULTS: Skin and biofluids provide a great amount of information that can be analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and SERS. These optical techniques are excellent for clinical applications and can differentiate people with T2DM from healthy individuals, predict complications arising from T2DM (chronic kidney disease), and might be used to monitor glucose (glycemic control). CONCLUSION: Raman spectroscopy and SERS are good optical techniques for the diagnosis of T2DM in which sample preparation is not necessary or very simple, non-destructive, non-invasive, relatively fast to acquire, and low-cost.
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy can be applied as an effective and non-invasive spectroscopic method for analyzing samples with unpaired electrons. EPR is suitable for the quantification of radical species, assessment of redox chemical reaction mechanisms in foods, evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of food, as well as for the analysis of food quality, stability, and shelf life. It can be employed for evaluating and monitoring the drug release processes, in vitro and in vivo. EPR can be employed for the direct detection of free radical metabolites, and the evaluation of drug release mechanisms from biodegradable polymers; it can be employed for analyzing the drug antioxidant effects. Additionally, spatial resolution can be achieved through EPR-imaging. EPR spectroscopy and imaging have shown diverse applications in food, biomedical and pharmaceutical fields, and also more applications are predictable to emerge in the future. This review highlights recent advances and important challenges related to the application of EPR in food, biomedical and pharmaceutical analysis and assessment.
MR Spectroscopy (MRS) has been used for diagnosis of many neurological disorders such as central nervous system tumors and neuro-inflammatory diseases. Despite many studies on MRS in neurodegenerative disorders and particularly Alzheimer's disease, its utility has been hampered by lack of standard techniques across studies and limited data on the association between the level of metabolites in MRS and pathological changes of AD. In this review we have summarized the findings of MRS in Alzheimer's disease, discussed the limitation of the current data and the pitfalls in interpretation of the MRS results and also we presented the latest developments in this field and potential future steps in order to utilize MRS more effectively in clinical practice.
