The Role of Perivascular Adipose Tissue in the Pathogenesis of Endothelial Dysfunction in Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are two of the four major chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) representing the leading cause of death worldwide. Several studies demonstrate that endothelial dysfunction (ED) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of these chronic diseases. although it is well known that systemic chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are primarily involved in the development of ED, recent studies have shown that perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is implicated in its pathogenesis, also contributing to the progression of atherosclerosis and to insulin resistance (IR). In this review, we describe the relationship between PVAT and ED, and we also analyse the role of PVAT in the pathogenesis of CVDs and T2DM, further assessing its potential therapeutic target with the aim of restoring normal ED and reducing global cardiovascular risk

Integrating multimodal Raman and photoluminescence microscopy with enhanced insights through multivariate analysis

This paper introduces a novel multimodal optical microscope, integrating Raman and laser-induced photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy for the analysis of micro-samples relevant in Heritage Science. Micro-samples extracted from artworks, such as paintings, exhibit intricate material compositions characterized by high complexity and spatial heterogeneity, featuring multiple layers of paint that may be also affected by degradation phenomena. Employing a multimodal strategy becomes imperative for a comprehensive understanding of their material composition and condition. The effectiveness of the proposed setup derives from synergistically harnessing the distinct strengths of Raman and laser-induced PL spectroscopy. The capacity to identify various chemical species through the latter technique is enhanced by using multiple excitation wavelengths and two distinct excitation fluence regimes. The combination of the two complementary techniques allows the setup to effectively achieve comprehensive chemical mapping of sample through a raster scanning approach. To attain a competitive overall measurement time, we employ a short integration time for each measurement point. We further propose an analysis protocol rooted in a multivariate approach. Specifically, we employ non-negative matrix factorization as the spectral decomposition method. This enables the identification of spectral endmembers, effectively correlated with specific chemical compounds present in samples. To demonstrate its efficacy in Heritage Science, we present examples involving pigment powder dispersions and stratigraphic micro-samples from paintings. Through these examples, we show how the multimodal approach reinforces material identification and, more importantly, facilitates the extraction of complementary information. This is pivotal as the two optical techniques exhibit sensitivity to different materials. Looking ahead, our method holds potential applications in diverse research fields, including material science and biology

A photoluminescence study of the changes induced in the zinc white pigment by formation of zinc complexes

It is known that oil paintings containing zinc white are subject to rapid degradation. This is caused by the interaction between the active groups of binder and the metal ions of the pigment, which gives rise to the formation of new zinc complexes (metal soaps). Ongoing studies on zinc white paints have been limited to the chemical mechanisms that lead to the formation of zinc complexes. On the contrary, little is known of the photo-physical changes induced in the zinc oxide crystal structure following this interaction. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy has been applied to follow modifications in the luminescent zinc white pigment when mixed with binder. Significant changes in trap state photoluminescence emissions have been detected: the enhancement of a blue emission combined with a change of the decay kinetic of the well-known green emission. Complementary data from molecular analysis of paints using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the formation of zinc carboxylates and corroborates the mechanism for zinc complexes formation. We support the hypothesis that zinc ions migrate into binder creating novel vacancies, affecting the photoluminescence intensity and lifetime properties of zinc oxide. Here, we further demonstrate the advantages of a time-resolved photoluminescence approach for studying defects in semiconductor pigments

Using the body when there are no words for feelings: alexithymia and somatization in self-harming adolescents

The present case-control study aimed to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and somatic complaints in the psychopathological setting of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). A clinical sample of 134 adolescents (115 females; 85.5%) from 12 to 18 years old engaging in NSSI was compared with a control group of 243 high-school students (157 females; 64.6%) from 13 to 18 years old. Data were collected using two questionnaires: The Youth Self-Report 11\u201318 and the 20 Toronto Alexithymia Scale. In both cases and controls, the presence of somatization and alexithymia was associated with more severe psychopathological problems. Analyses were conducted to explore the association between somatic disorders and alexithymia. In the clinical group, somatic complaints were reported by 95.9% of alexithymic individuals, whereas only 44.3% of alexithymic adolescents reported somatic complaints. A one-way relationship emerged between somatization and alexithymia: while alexithymia would seem to be a factor associated with self-injury, somatic disorders were strongly associated with alexithymia, but not necessarily with self-injury. Among the self-harming adolescents, those with both alexithymia and somatization had a more severe psychopathological picture than the individuals with alexithymia but no somatization. This would suggest that, in the setting of NSSI, greater difficulty with identifying feelings is associated with somatization, and alexithymia would be an attribute common to self-harming behavior and somatization, both of which are characterized by the body being used to express psychological and emotional problems. Future research could further investigate alexithymia in self-harming individuals, in relation to any presence or absence of somatic disorders, with longitudinal assessments on any differences in their manifestation of self-injury and its psychopathological correlates

Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy Quantifies Calcium Oscillations in Root Hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana

Calcium oscillations play a role in the regulation of the development of tip-growing plant cells. Using optical microscopy, calcium oscillations have been observed in a few systems (e.g. pollen tubes, fungal hyphae and algal rhizoids). High-resolution, non-phototoxic and rapid imaging methods are required to study the calcium oscillation in root hairs. We show that light sheet fluorescence microscopy is optimal to image growing root hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana and to follow their oscillatory tip-focused calcium gradient. We describe a protocol for performing live imaging of root hairs in seedlings expressing the cytosol-localized ratiometric calcium indicator Yellow Cameleon 3.6. Using this protocol, we measured the calcium gradient in a large number of root hairs. We characterized their calcium oscillations and correlated them with the rate of hair growth. The method was then used to screen the effect of auxin on the properties of the growing root hairs

Full-aperture extended-depth oblique plane microscopy through dynamic remote focusing

Significance: The reprojection setup typical of oblique plane microscopy (OPM) limits the effective aperture of the imaging system, and therefore its efficiency and resolution. Large aperture system is only possible through the use of custom specialized optics. A full-aperture OPM made with off the shelf components would both improve the performance of the method and encourage its widespread adoption. Aim: To prove the feasibility of an OPM without a conventional reprojection setup, retaining the full aperture of the primary objective employed. Approach: A deformable lens based remote focusing setup synchronized with the rolling shutter of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor detector is used instead of a traditional reprojection system. Results: The system was tested on microbeads, prepared slides, and zebrafish embryos. Resolution and pixel throughput were superior to conventional OPM with cropped apertures, and comparable with OPM implementations with custom made optical components. Conclusions: An easily reproducible approach to OPM imaging is presented, eliminating the conventional reprojection setup and exploiting the full aperture of the employed objective

Full-aperture extended-depth oblique plane microscopy through dynamic remote focusing

Oblique plane microscopy is a method enabling light-sheet fluorescence imaging through a single microscope objective lens by focusing on a tilted plane within the sample. To focus the fluorescence emitted by the oblique plane on a camera, the light is imaged through a pair of remote objective lenses, facing each other at an angle. The aperture mismatch resulting from this configuration limits the effective numerical aperture of the system, reducing image resolution and signal intensity. This manuscript introduces an alternative method to capture the oblique plane on the camera. Instead of relying on angled objective lenses, an electrically tunable lens is employed. This lens adjusts the focal plane of the microscope synchronously with the rolling shutter of a scientific CMOS camera. In this configuration the entire aperture of the objective is effectively employed, increasing the resolution of the system. Moreover, a variety of objective lenses can be employed, enabling the acquisition of wider axial fields of view compared to conventional oblique plane microscopy

Virtual unfolding of light sheet fluorescence microscopy dataset for quantitative analysis of the mouse intestine

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy has proven to be a powerful tool to image fixed and chemically cleared samples, providing in depth and high resolution reconstructions of intact mouse organs. We applied light sheet microscopy to image the mouse intestine. We found that large portions of the sample can be readily visualized, assessing the organ status and highlighting the presence of regions with impaired morphology. Yet, three-dimensional (3-D) sectioning of the intestine leads to a large dataset that produces unnecessary storage and processing overload. We developed a routine that extracts the relevant information from a large image stack and provides quantitative analysis of the intestine morphology. This result was achieved by a three step procedure consisting of: (1) virtually unfold the 3-D reconstruction of the intestine; (2) observe it layer-by-layer; and (3) identify distinct villi and statistically analyze multiple samples belonging to different intestinal regions. Even if the procedure has been developed for the murine intestine, most of the underlying concepts have a general applicability