Merino Becomes Noble: A study of nanogold, wool and nanogold–wool composites

<p>Our research group, led by Professor J. H. Johnston, has developed a novel approach for dyeing merino wool with nanogold [gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)] by coupling the chemistry of gold with that of wool fibres. This utilises the plasmonic properties of nanogold to create attractive fabric colours ranging from pink to purple to grey. The newly created fabric benefits from the synergistic effect of the unique properties of strong merino wool and valuable gold, i.e. the innovative product is intensely coloured, colour fast, naturally hydrophobic, anti-microbial, anti-static as well as having first-rate wearing comfort. This innovation has attracted substantial interest from industry resulting in the collaboration of our research group with leading fabric manufacturers and designers. However, the colour range of this unique high-value product is limited. It was desirable to enlarge the colour range by developing new strategies to create wash fast nanogold–wool composites with a broad colour spectrum. Thus my research aimed to identify and understand the fundamental principles that govern the formation of nanogold–wool composites. Based on the derived knowledge, it was aimed to develop a methodology to covalently link pre-synthesised AuNPs of various colours to the surface of New Zealand merino wool fibres in order to obtain wash fast nanogold–wool composites with a broad colour spectrum. This involved the synthesis, functionalisation and characterisation of colloidal AuNPs, and their application as colourants for wool. The methodology followed three general steps: (1) synthesis of colloidal gold, (2) preparation of the wool surface for the colouring processes, and (3) production of nanogold–wool composites. Each work stage was accompanied by thorough analysis and characterisation of the intermediate and final products. Studying colloidal gold systems and nanogold–wool composites which were previously reported provided the insights that were necessary to develop new methodologies to strongly link AuNPs to wool. For instance, nanogold stabilised by oleylamine produces especially bright pink nanogold–wool composites; however, the AuNP–wool bond is relatively weak. Hence, several AuNP–wool bond types were intensively studied, and as a result of combining the knowledge gained, two approaches were developed to provide a proof-of-concept for the creation of wash fast nanogold–wool composites. These approaches involved a specifically designed, in-house-synthesised capping agent for AuNPs as well as a crosslinker that binds functionalised AuNPs to the reactive sites of wool. In addition to achieving the project aims, my work produced three new systems of colloidal gold in aqueous medium which stand out due to their properties. Specifically, these properties were: (1) being stable without significant electrostatic or steric stabilisation, (2) having a unique surface functionalisation allowing for selective chemistry, and (3) having an intense blue colour as a result of controlling the AuNP shape during synthesis. All three systems show application potential for wool colouration, ligand exchange reactions, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and in the field of biomedicine.</p>

Merino Becomes Noble: A study of nanogold, wool and nanogold–wool composites

<p>Our research group, led by Professor J. H. Johnston, has developed a novel approach for dyeing merino wool with nanogold [gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)] by coupling the chemistry of gold with that of wool fibres. This utilises the plasmonic properties of nanogold to create attractive fabric colours ranging from pink to purple to grey. The newly created fabric benefits from the synergistic effect of the unique properties of strong merino wool and valuable gold, i.e. the innovative product is intensely coloured, colour fast, naturally hydrophobic, anti-microbial, anti-static as well as having first-rate wearing comfort. This innovation has attracted substantial interest from industry resulting in the collaboration of our research group with leading fabric manufacturers and designers. However, the colour range of this unique high-value product is limited. It was desirable to enlarge the colour range by developing new strategies to create wash fast nanogold–wool composites with a broad colour spectrum. Thus my research aimed to identify and understand the fundamental principles that govern the formation of nanogold–wool composites. Based on the derived knowledge, it was aimed to develop a methodology to covalently link pre-synthesised AuNPs of various colours to the surface of New Zealand merino wool fibres in order to obtain wash fast nanogold–wool composites with a broad colour spectrum. This involved the synthesis, functionalisation and characterisation of colloidal AuNPs, and their application as colourants for wool. The methodology followed three general steps: (1) synthesis of colloidal gold, (2) preparation of the wool surface for the colouring processes, and (3) production of nanogold–wool composites. Each work stage was accompanied by thorough analysis and characterisation of the intermediate and final products. Studying colloidal gold systems and nanogold–wool composites which were previously reported provided the insights that were necessary to develop new methodologies to strongly link AuNPs to wool. For instance, nanogold stabilised by oleylamine produces especially bright pink nanogold–wool composites; however, the AuNP–wool bond is relatively weak. Hence, several AuNP–wool bond types were intensively studied, and as a result of combining the knowledge gained, two approaches were developed to provide a proof-of-concept for the creation of wash fast nanogold–wool composites. These approaches involved a specifically designed, in-house-synthesised capping agent for AuNPs as well as a crosslinker that binds functionalised AuNPs to the reactive sites of wool. In addition to achieving the project aims, my work produced three new systems of colloidal gold in aqueous medium which stand out due to their properties. Specifically, these properties were: (1) being stable without significant electrostatic or steric stabilisation, (2) having a unique surface functionalisation allowing for selective chemistry, and (3) having an intense blue colour as a result of controlling the AuNP shape during synthesis. All three systems show application potential for wool colouration, ligand exchange reactions, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and in the field of biomedicine.</p>

Characteristic of morphological traits and biochemical indicators in Linum pubescens

The article describes the morphological characteristics and biochemical parameters of a very little studied wild species Linum pubescens (downy flax). This representative of the genus Linum naturally grows in the eastern Mediterranean: Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Iraq, Greece, Cyprus, Albania. There are brief references to it in the description of the flora of these regions. In Israel, on natural populations of L. pubescens, studies of dimorphic heterostyly, anatomical features of the flower, mechanisms of pollination and incompatibility were carried out. However, other signs, including economically valuable ones, are not described in him. We were the first to study the species ex-situ in a field bank. It was found that in the arid conditions of the southeastern Steppe of Ukraine L. pubescens has a one-year development cycle, a height of 30 cm, 1.2 flowering stems, a bright pink flower with a diameter of 25 mm, a small slightly elongated box with a diameter of 2.7 mm, weight 1000 seeds is 0.6 g, and the leaf area is 218.9 mm2. Plants bloom in mid-July- September. Taking into account the rather large size, the bright color of the flower and the flowering period, we believe that the L. pubescens species has prospects of use as an ornamental flowering plant. In the resulting artificial population of L. pubescens, dimorphic heterostyly is clearly traced. Long and short pest morphs are clearly identified. L. pubescens seeds contain 24% protein and 35% oil. The fatty acid composition of the oil belongs to the "linum-type", like most other types of flax. With a low content of saturated acids (palmitic 6.7% and stearic 2.8%) and a significant predominance of unsaturated acids, especially linolenic up to 64%. It was revealed that this species has a dense non-cracking capsule. This trait is unusual for other flax varieties. Most annual and perennial species are characterized by moderate to severe cracking. Cultivated flax has a non-cracking boll, but not a hard one that breaks easily. It was found that less organic matter and more ash elements accumulate in the capsules and seeds of L. pubescens than in other species of the genus Linum. Probably, this feature, together with non-cracking, helps to better preserve fruits in difficult natural conditions and preserves seed germination for a long time. According to A.A. Zhuchenko, plant genetic resources are divided into six groups. At this stage, L. pubescen is classified as a wild weed relative. It was proposed to include L. pubescens in breeding work to create ornamental varieties in order to transfer it to the improved germplasm group in the future.

Cassia javanica (pink shower).

C. javanica is an attractive small tree with widely spreading branches and showy, bright-pink blossoms. It is native to South-East Asia and is widely planted throughout the tropics as an ornamental and roadside tree, and has become naturalized in numerous tropical countries. C. javanica is very polymorphic and several subspecies have been distinguished. This is the only Cassia species with valuable timber. The wood is used for general construction, furniture and cabinet making. It is a leguminous species, fairly drought tolerant and coppices vigorously. The tree also has promise for the tannin industry. Due to the species' considerable potential, further research into its silvicultural management is warranted.

Bright Pink Assess Your Risk™: a novel interactive tool for breast and ovarian cancer prevention (Preprint)

BACKGROUND The lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer is significantly higher among women with genetic susceptibility or strong family history. However, current practices may identify only 10% of asymptomatic carriers of susceptibility genes. Bright Pink developed the Assess Your Risk (AYR) tool to estimate breast and ovarian cancer risk through a user-friendly, informative online quiz. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this work are to present the AYR tool, describe the AYR users, and compare classification using the AYR tool to breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing guidelines. METHODS The AYR tool includes 26 questions based on the National Cancer Center Network (NCCN) guidelines and factors from other commonly used risk assessment tools. We included all women who completed AYR between November 2018 and January 2019 with the exception of self-reported cancer or no knowledge of family history. We conducted univariate analyses and compared the AYR tool to NCCN criteria using measures of validity along with McNemar's Test. RESULTS There were 143,657 AYR completions, and most participants were either at increased or average risk for breast cancer or ovarian cancer (95.6%). Using the NCCN guidelines as the gold standard, the estimated sensitivity and specificity for the AYR was 100% and 89.9%, respectively (McNemar’s p= <0.001). Specificity improved when considering the additional questions asked by the AYR. However, we did observe some variation by race-ethnicity and age group. We found the lowest observed specificity was for Asian race (85.9%) and the 30-39 year age group (87.6%) for the AYR compared to NCCN criteria. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that Bright Pink’s AYR is an accurate tool for identifying women at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. However, future studies should validate the tool longitudinally, considering the variation observed by race-ethnicity and age on breast and ovarian cancer risk assessment.

Case Report: A Possible Case of Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria in a Gir Calf: A Clinical, Pathological, and Molecular Approach

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare hereditary autosomal recessive disease which has never been reported in Zebu cattle. A 3-day-old Gir calf showed teeth discoloration, fever, dehydration, and dyspnea. The main gross findings were pink-colored teeth, red-brown periosteum and bone marrow, and a fluorescent bright pink coloration of the bone marrow and articular surfaces under ultraviolet light. Aggregates of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-stained porphyrin pigments were evident in the lungs, kidneys, and the liver. An intron 8 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in both the Gir calf and control animals, along with the absence of the uroporphyrin III synthetase (UROS) gene mutation, was observed. Most SNPs were located in the intron regions of the UROS gene without relevance for CEP. A continuous loss of genetic variability and an increase in inbreeding in some herds may be related to CEP in Gir cattle, one of the most prominent Zebu breeds worldwide. In summary, this study describes a presumptive case of CEP in a Gir calf based on clinical and pathological findings. A definitive diagnosis would require the measurement of porphyrin levels in blood, urine, or tissues or the identification of UROS gene defects.

Lagerstroemia speciosa (Pride of India).

L. speciosa is a tree species widely commercial for ornamental purposes and as roadside trees. This species is very appreciated in the horticulture market for its large, showy, bright pink to lavender flowers (Gilman and Watson, 1993; Randall, 2012, USDA-ARS, 2017). It is often planted in gardens, yards and parks, around parking lots, and along highways (Gilman and Watson, 1993 Orwa et al., 2009). L. speciosa has escaped from cultivation and now it can be found naturalized in waste places, disturbed sites, open grasslands, and along roadsides in a great variety of climates (Orwa et al., 2009). It has a wide spreading crown and a dense root system with the potential to alter soil conditions and inhibit the establishment of native vegetation in the understory. Currently it is listed as invasive in Belize, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (Balick et al., 2000; Chacón and Saborío, 2012; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodríguez, 2015).

A role for MIR828 in pineapple fruit development

Chen et al. (Nature Genet. 51: 1549–1558; Oct. 2019) sequenced Ananas comosus var. bracteatus accession CB5, cultivated for its bright pink-to-red colored fruit, and yellow-fleshed A. comosus accession F153, reporting an improved F153 reference assembly while annotating MICRORNA (MIRNA) loci and gene family expressions relevant to lignin and anthocyanin biosynthesis. An independent article (Xiong et al. Sci. Rep. 8: 1947; 2018) reported var. bracteatus MIRNAs but not MIR828, a negative regulator of anthocyanin and polyphenolics biosynthesis by targeting MYB transcription factors associated with UV light- and sugar-signaling in dicots. MIR828 has been reported in gymnosperms, Amborella (sister to flowering plants), and basal monocot orders Liliales, Asparagales, Zingiberales, Arecales, but not in the Poales, a sister order comprising grasses and ~3,000 species of bromeliads including pineapple. Here I show MIR828 exists in pineapple and directs post-transcriptional gene silencing of mRNAs encoding MYB family members with inferred function to regulate the conspicuous red fruit trait in var. bracteatus. MIR828 plesiomorphy (an ancient basal trait) may shed light on monocot apomorphic fruit development, postulated for 21 monocot families with fleshy fruits as due to homoplasy/convergence driven by tropical climate and/or enticements to vertebrate endozoic seed dispersers.

Seeing the light: Improving the usability of fluorescence-guided surgery by adding an optimized secondary light source

BackgroundTumors that take up and metabolize 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-AlA) emit bright pink fluorescence when illuminated with blue light, aiding surgeons in identifying the margin of resection. The adoption of this method is hindered by the blue light illumination, which is too dim to safely operate under, and therefore, necessitates switching back and forth from white-light mode. This paper examines the addition of an optimized secondary illuminant adapter (SIA) to improve usability of blue-light mode without degrading tumor contrast.MethodsWe used color science methods to evaluate the color of the secondary illuminant and its impact on color rendering index (CRI) as well as the tumor-to-background color contrast (TBCC). A secondary illuminant adapter was built to provide 475-600 nm light the intensity of which can be controlled by the surgeon and was evaluated in two patients.ResultsSecondary illuminant color had opposing effects on color rendering index (CRI) and tumor to background color contrast (TBCC); providing surgeon control of intensity allows this trade-off to be balanced in real-time. Experience in two cases suggests additional visibility adds value.ConclusionThe addition of a secondary illuminant may mitigate surgeon complaints that the operative field is too dark under the blue light illumination required for 5-ALA fluorescence guidance by providing improved CRI without completely sacrificing TBCC.