A Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods to Assess Multiple Sclerosis Lesions: Implications for Patient Characterization and Clinical Trial Design

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive imaging modality for identifying inflammatory and/or demyelinating lesions, which is critical for a clinical diagnosis of MS and evaluating drug responses. There are many unique means of probing brain tissue status, including conventional T1 and T2 weighted imaging (T1WI, T2WI), T2 fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), magnetization transfer, myelin water fraction, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), phase-sensitive inversion recovery and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), but no study has combined all of these modalities into a single well-controlled investigation. The goals of this study were to: compare different MRI measures for lesion visualization and quantification; evaluate the repeatability of various imaging methods in healthy controls; compare quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) with myelin water fraction; measure short-term longitudinal changes in the white matter of MS patients and map out the tissue properties of the white matter hyperintensities using STAGE (strategically acquired gradient echo imaging). Additionally, the outcomes of this study were anticipated to aid in the choice of an efficient imaging protocol reducing redundancy of information and alleviating patient burden. Of all the sequences used, T2 FLAIR and T2WI showed the most lesions. To differentiate the putative demyelinating lesions from inflammatory lesions, the fusion of SWI and T2 FLAIR was used. Our study suggests that a practical and efficient imaging protocol combining T2 FLAIR, T1WI and STAGE (with SWI and QSM) can be used to rapidly image MS patients to both find lesions and study the demyelinating and inflammatory characteristics of the lesions.

Predicting the Water Content of Interstellar Objects from Galactic Star Formation Histories

Planetesimals inevitably bear the signatures of their natal environment, preserving in their composition a record of the metallicity of their system’s original gas and dust, albeit one altered by the formation processes. When planetesimals are dispersed from their system of origin, this record is carried with them. As each star is likely to contribute at least 1012 interstellar objects (ISOs), the Galaxy’s drifting population of ISOs provides an overview of the properties of its stellar population through time. Using the EAGLE cosmological simulations and models of protoplanetary formation, our modeling predicts an ISO population with a bimodal distribution in their water mass fraction: objects formed in low-metallicity, typically older, systems have a higher water fraction than their counterparts formed in high-metallicity protoplanetary disks, and these water-rich objects comprise the majority of the population. Both detected ISOs seem to belong to the lower water fraction population; these results suggest they come from recently formed systems. We show that the population of ISOs in galaxies with different star formation histories will have different proportions of objects with high and low water fractions. This work suggests that it is possible that the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time will detect a large enough population of ISOs to place useful constraints on models of protoplanetary disks, as well as galactic structure and evolution.

Antimicrobial, Anticoagulant and Anticancer Effects of Arum Palaestinum Flowers Extracts

Background: Wild plants are amply utilized in traditional medicine and folkloric food worldwide. Arum palaestinum Boiss. (AP) is one of the wild Palestinian plants which leaves have a long history in the Middle Eastern countries as food and medicine. Herby, the current study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, coagulation cascade activities, and anticancer effects of (AP) flowers extract Methods: The aqueous extract of (AP) flowers was screened on its antimicrobial activity using microdilution assay against eight pathogens. While, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and thrombin time tests were measured utilizing standard hematological methods. And Anti cancer effect was assessed by using Parameters of cell cycles and alph feta protein level that were investigated for (AP) flowers fractionated with aqueous, DMSO, and methanol Results: The antimicrobial screening results revealed that the aqueous extract of (AP) has strong antibacterial effects against P. vulgaris and E. faecium compared with Ampicillin with MIC values of 6.25, 6.25 and 18 mg/ml, respectively. The aqueous extract of (AP) showed anticoagulant activity with significant prolonged results in aPTT and TT tests at high concentrations (50 mg/ml and 25 mg/ml) and slightly prolonged results in the PT test at a high concentration (50 mg/ml). The anticancer results indicate a delay in cell cycle through decreased the cell proliferation rate following effects of the AP fractions. The delay in the S phase was in favor of the water fraction. Water and DMSO fractions while maintained the cells in the G2-M phase similar to the DOX, the flower extract in methanol accelerated the cells in the G2-M phase suggesting that (AF) flower extracts have anti-cancer properties. At the same time Aqueous extract decreased HCC aFP to 1.55-fold (P=0.0008). While DMSO and methanolic extract had no significant effects on HCC aFP levels, compared to control untreated cells of 2519.16 ± 198.1 ng/ml. This data show that (AF) aqueous solution is potent inhibitor of alpha-fetoprotein secretion (P-value <0.05), which indicates its anti-carcinogenic effects Conclusion: These results showed that the aqueous extract of (AP) plant possesses bioactive components with antibacterial and anticoagulant properties, which may be exploited in the treatment of infectious diseases and blood coagulation disorders.

Identification and Determination of Berberine from Arcangelisia Flava, East Borneo

Berberine is a compound that has various benefits but also has dangerous toxic effects. In Indonesia, the Regulation of the Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency No. 10 of 2014 concerning the Prohibition of Producing and Circulating Traditional Medicines and Health Supplements Containing Coptis Sp, Berberis Sp, Mahonia Sp, Chelidonium Majus, Phellodendron Sp, Arcangelica Flava, Tinosporae Radix, and Catharanthus Roseus. Regulation No. 7 of 2018 (BPOM, 2018) also prohibits the presence of berberine in processed food. This research was conducted to determine the content of berberine compounds from the extract and stem fraction of Arcangelisia flava. The research was conducted by identifying the content of berberine by TLC method compared with Rf Berberine sulfate and determination of berberine content by HPLC method (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) using column C-18 (ODS). Berberine content of methanol extract, n-hexane fraction, ethyl acetate fraction and Arcangelisia Flava methanol-water fraction were 0.0040, respectively; 0.0010; 0.0041, 0.0044%.

Myelin Water Fraction in Relation To Fractional Anisotropy and Reading in 10-Year-Old Children

Diffusion-weighted imaging studies have repeatedly shown that white matter correlates with reading throughout development. However, the neurobiological interpretation of this relationship is constrained by the limited microstructural specificity of diffusion imaging. A critical component of white matter microstructure is myelin, which can be investigated noninvasively using MRI. Here, diffusion-weighted as well as myelin water imaging were applied to examine the links of myelin water fraction (MWF) with fractional anisotropy (FA; a common diffusion index) and reading ability in 10-year-old children (n = 69). The results replicate previous reports on a positive relationship between FA and MWF, which is significant in dorsal but not ventral tracts. Moreover, our findings revealed a negative correlation between word reading and MWF in left reading-related white matter tracts. Altogether, this study contributes important insights into the role of myelin-related processes in the relationship between reading and white matter structure.

Forward Osmosis for Produced Water Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

During crude oil and natural gas extraction from a reservoir, a large amount of water is also produced. The water fraction contains oil, grease, organic and inorganic constituents, called produced water (PW). Over the years, efficient treatment of PW has been concerned. PW has been treated with various technologies, namely floatation, filtration, coagulation/flocculation, or biological processes. Those technologies were assembled to achieve discharge standards while minimizing the cost. Exploration of membrane-based technologies for the treatment of PW has recently been reported, including the emerging forward osmosis (FO) process. This paper reviews the research progress on the FO process for PW treatment. A brief introduction to the traditional treatment technologies is first provided. Next, the basics of the FO process and research progress on the application of FO on PW treatment are discussed. Finally, techniques for fouling control in FO are reviewed, namely osmotic backwashing, ultrasound, chemical cleaning, and air sparging.

A drug discovery-oriented non-invasive protocol for protein crystal cryoprotection by dehydration, with application for crystallization screening.

In X-ray macromolecular crystallography, cryoprotection of crystals mounted on harvesting loops is achieved when the water in the sample solvent transitions to vitreous ice before crystalline ice forms. This is achieved by rapid cooling in liquid nitrogen or propane. Protocols for protein crystal cryoprotection are based on either increasing environmental pressure or reducing the water fraction in the solvent. This study presents a new protocol for cryoprotecting crystals. It is based on vapour diffusion dehydration of the crystal drop to reduce the water fraction in the solvent by adding a highly concentrated salt solution, 13 M potassium formate (KF13), directly to the reservoir. Cryoprotection by the KF13 protocol is non-invasive to the crystal, high throughput, not labour intensive, can benefit diffraction resolution and ligand binding, and is very useful in cases with high redundancy such as drug discovery projects which utilize very large compound or fragment libraries. Moreover, an application of KF13 to discover new crystal hits from clear drops of equilibrated crystallization screening plates is also shown.