Thiamethoxam is a neonicotinoid that has been used to control insect pests. The literature reports a few behavioral studies evaluating the toxic effect of thiamethoxam in ants; however, there are scarce studies at the cellular level. The present research evaluated the effects of thiamethoxam in labial (LG) and mandibular glands (MG), fat bodies (FB), and Malpighian tubules (MT) of workers of Atta sexdens, using transmission electron microscopy. The duct and secretory cells of LG were profoundly affected, then the production of saliva can be compromised, as well as its quality and subsequent use. In MG, reservoir and canaliculi cells presented slight alterations; however, MG secretory cells presented vacuoles containing lamellar structures, increased lipid production, and a large amount of mitochondria, which may lead to organ's malfunctioning. The FB cell alterations do not seem enough to cause significant changes that lead to cell death. Prominent changes in MT, such as loss of the electron-dense concentric ring, increased smooth endoplasmic reticulum, loss of basal infolds, vacuoles containing mineralized granules, and lamellar structures associated with mitochondria, suggest that their excretory function is compromised. In conclusion, thiamethoxam acts not only in the nervous system but also contributes to systemic toxicity on the target organism.

Interpretation errors may still represent a limiting factor for diagnosing Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts with the conventional staining techniques. Humans and machines can interact to solve this problem. We developed a new temporary staining protocol associated with a computer program for the diagnosis of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in fecal samples. We established 62 different temporary staining conditions by studying 20 experimental protocols. Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were concentrated using the Three Fecal Test (TF-Test®) technique and confirmed by the Kinyoun method. Next, we built a bank with 299 images containing oocysts. We used segmentation in superpixels to cluster the patches in the images; then, we filtered the objects based on their typical size. Finally, we applied a convolutional neural network as a classifier. The trichrome modified by Melvin and Brooke, at a concentration use of 25%, was the most efficient dye for use in the computerized diagnosis. The algorithms of this new program showed a positive predictive value of 81.3 and 94.1% sensitivity for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. With the combination of the chosen staining protocol and the precision of the computational algorithm, we improved the Ova and Parasite exam (O&P) by contributing in advance toward the automated diagnosis.

A profound characteristic of field cancerization is alterations in chromatin packing. This study aimed to quantify these alterations using electron microscopy image analysis of buccal mucosa cells of laryngeal, esophageal, and lung cancer patients. Analysis was done on normal-appearing mucosa, believed to be within the cancerization field, and not tumor itself. Large-scale electron microscopy (nanotomy) images were acquired of cancer patients and controls. Within the nuclei, the chromatin packing of euchromatin and heterochromatin was characterized. Furthermore, the chromatin organization was quantified through chromatin packing density scaling. A significant difference was found between the cancer and control groups in the chromatin packing density scaling parameter for length scales below the optical diffraction limit (200 nm) in both the euchromatin (p = 0.002) and the heterochromatin (p = 0.006). The chromatin packing scaling analysis also indicated that the chromatin organization of cancer patients deviated significantly from the control group. They might allow for novel strategies for cancer risk stratification and diagnosis with high sensitivity. This could aid clinicians in personalizing screening strategies for high-risk patients and follow-up strategies for treated cancer patients.

Static stretching provides benefits to the range of motion, modulates intramuscular connective tissue, and is incorporated into warm-up exercises. In this study, we present the effects in the motor endplate and belly muscle resulting from previous static stretching to climbing training. Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6 each): Sedentary (Sed), Climbing (Clb), Static stretching (Ss), and Static stretching prior to climbing (Ssc). The animals (Clb, Ss, and Ssc groups) were subjected to a training protocol 3×/week for 8 weeks, and the Ssc group was subjected to the Ss and Clb protocols in the same session. Samples from the animals were processed for immunostaining, histochemistry, and light microscopy. The Clb group presented a higher motor endplate; the Ss group presented no changes in the motor endplate; and the Ssc group demonstrated a higher compactness. We concluded that static stretching prior to the climbing protocol maintained the density of the motor endplate and increased the compactness of the neuromuscular junction structure. Also, there was a reduction in the myofibers’ diameter (Type I and IIa), an increase in myofibrillar densities (Type I and IIx, and total), and the reorganization of the myonuclei and the interstitium.

The palate is a fundamental region in food swallowing and presents different adaptations in species. This research aimed to describe structural and ultrastructural characteristics of the palatine epithelium and the connective tissue cores (CTCs) of ten red-rumped agoutis (Dasyprocta leporina—Linnaeus, 1758) using macroscopic, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. We found nine palatine ridges in the diastema and hard palate, and a smooth surface in the soft palate. Stratified squamous keratinized epithelium with projections of lamina propria and soft palate had gland clusters. Epithelial removal revealed CTCs with a conical shape with high density in the hard palate and the sides of the soft palate. Near the CTCs were nerve fibers in the hard palate, and the soft palate had muscular tissue below the gland clusters. The structural and ultrastructural characteristics enable stability of the hard palate and fixation to the soft palate sides, while the soft palate center has greater mobility thus assisting in food swallowing. We concluded that structural characteristics are similar to other mammals, although the morphology of agouti's palate differs in the amount and disposition of palatine ridges, and the conical CTC's morphology.

Lectins are glycoproteins of a non-immune origin often used as histochemical reagents to study the distribution of glycoconjugates in different types of tissues. In this study, we performed a comparative cellular localization of sugar residues in bull and donkey testes using immunofluorescent lectin histochemistry. We inspected the cellular localization of the glycoconjugates within the testes using 11 biotin-labeled lectins (LCA, ConA, PNA, WGA, DBA, SBA, ECA, BPL, PTL-II, UEA-1, and PHA-E4) classified under six groups. Although the basic testicular structure in both species was similar, the cellular components showed different lectin localization patterns. The statistical analysis revealed no significant association between the intensity of labeling and different variables, including group and type of lectin and type of cell examined, at p < 0.05. However, a stronger response tended to occur in the donkey than in the bull testes (odds ratio: 1.3). These findings may be associated with the different cellular compositions of the glycoproteins and modification changes during spermatogenesis. Moreover, glycoconjugate profiling through lectin histochemistry can characterize some cell-type selective markers that will be helpful in studying bull and donkey spermatogenesis.

The aim of the present study was to determine and elaborate on all changes in old-aged (OA) versus young-aged (YA) rat thyroids by using stereological, ultrastructural, hormonal, and gene expression analyses. We used 4- and 24-month-old male Wistar rats in our evaluation, presenting all changes in comparison with YA rats. Results showed that the thyroid parenchyma was characterized by higher absolute volumes of the gland, colloid, epithelium, and interstitium by 135, 135, 140, and 142% (p < 0.05) respectively, while the relative volumes of colloid and glands were unchanged. Ultrastructural analysis revealed less active glands, with smaller amounts of lysosomes, thyroglobulin (Tg) granules, and microvilli in the luminal colloid. Optical density values for thyroid peroxidase (TPO), Tg, and vascular-endothelial growth factor immunostaining remained unchanged; however, TPO and Tg exhibited visually stronger expression in small active follicles. Thyroxine (T4)-Tg, the relative intensity of fluorescence (RIF), serum T4, and the sodium-iodide symporter immunohistochemical and gene expressions decreased by 20, 40, 29, and 31% (p < 0.05), respectively, in OA thyroids. Pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) RIF increased by 44% (p < 0.05), but the TSH serum concentration remained unchanged. In conclusion, the obtained results indicate depression of the thyroid gland synthetic and secretory capacity with advanced age.

Gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) analysis is a contemporary and innovative computer-based algorithm that can be used for the quantification of subtle changes in a cellular structure. In this work, we use this method for the detection of discrete alterations in hepatocyte chromatin distribution after in vivo exposure to iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The study was performed on 40 male, healthy C57BL/6 mice divided into four groups: three experimental groups that received different doses of IONPs and 1 control group. We describe the dose-dependent reduction of chromatin textural uniformity measured as GLCM angular second moment. Similar changes were detected for chromatin textural uniformity expressed as the value of inverse difference moment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the impact of iron-based nanomaterials on hepatocyte GLCM parameters. Also, this is the first study to apply discrete wavelet transform analysis, as a supplementary method to GLCM, for the assessment of hepatocyte chromatin structure in these conditions. The results may present the useful basis for future research on the application of GLCM and DWT methods in pathology and other medical research areas.

ITGB1 (Integrin β1, CD29) is a member of the integrin family and has a role as a major adhesion receptor. Gastric cancer (GC) is an important cause of mortality worldwide, especially in China. As a potential cancer enhancer, the role ITGB1 plays in GC progression remains unclear. In the current study, our assay on the databases of tumoassociated gene expression and interaction found that the high expression of ITGB1 was closely correlated with the poor prognosis of GC patients. To explore the roles, ITGB1 plays in GC progression, and an ITGB1-deleted cell line (ITGB1−/−SGC7901) was generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 method. The tumor malignancy-associated cell behaviors and microstructures were detected, imaged, and analyzed using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), wound healing, transwell, scanning electron microscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and others. The results indicated that ITGB1 deletion decreased the GC cell proliferation and motility, and inhibited motility-relevant microstructures, such as pseudopodia and filopodia, markedly in ITGB1-deleted SGC7901 cells. The analysis of STRING database and western blots indicated that ITGB1 contributes to the malignancy of GC mediated by Src-mediated FAK/PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Taken together, the results showed that ITGB1 may be a potential targeting marker for GC diagnosis and therapy in the future.

The present study aims to investigate the efficacy of intravenously injected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in treating neuropathic pain either before or after its induction by a chronic constriction injury (CCI) model. Rats were divided into four groups: control group, neuropathic group, and treated groups (pre and postinduction) with i.v. mononuclear cells (106 cell/mL). For these rats, experimental testing for both thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia was evaluated. The cerebral cortex of the rats was dissected, and immunohistochemical analysis using anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), CD117, nestin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein was performed. Our results showed that a single injection of MSCs (either preemptive/or post-CCI) produced equipotent effects on allodynia, mechanical hyperalgesia, and thermal response. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the stem cells have reached the cerebral cortex. The injected group with MSCs before CCI showing few stem cells expressed PCNA, CD117, and nestin in the cerebral cortex. The group injected with MSCs after CCI, showing numerous recently proliferated CD117-, nestin-, PCNA-positive stem cells in the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the most probable effect of i.v. stem cells is the central anti-inflammatory effect, which opens concerns about how stem cells circulating in systemic administration to reach the site of injury.

This study presents the oocyte development of Poecilimon ataturki Ünal, 1999 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) with histology, morphology, and histochemistry by using a stereomicroscope, a light microscope, a scanning electron microscope, and a transmission electron microscope. The ovary in this species is a panoistic type which contains many ovarioles which consist of terminal filament, germarium, and vitellarium. Germarium is the region that has undifferentiated cells which generate the oocytes and follicular cells. In the vitellarium region, yolk granules start to cover the whole oocyte. In histochemical studies, to determine the content of the yolk granules, proteins, and carbohydrates in oocytes were treated with a bromophenol blue (BPB) method, a mercury bromophenol blue (mBPB) method, and a periodic acid Schiff (PAS) method, respectively. As a result of these methods, the yolk granules gave positive results in ovariole sections treated with the PAS and the BPB, while the mBPB staining was negative.

Ectopic calcification or pathological biomineralization correlates with morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Aortas with atherosclerotic lesions and biomineralization were selected for the study. Thirty samples of mineralized abdominal aortas (group M) were examined by histology. Depending on the calcifications size, samples were separated into group M1 (macroscopic calcifications) and M2 (microscopic calcifications). Each group consists of 15 samples. Calcification 2 mm or less were considered as microscopic, >2 mm—macroscopic. Thirty samples of aortic tissue without biomineralization (group C) were used as a control group. Aortic tissue was examined by macroscopic description, histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry (IHC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with microanalysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of IHC showed the involvement of OPN in the formation and development of pathological biomineralization, but the obvious role of OPN in the differentiation of macro- and microcalcifications of atherosclerotic aorta was not revealed. SEM with X-ray microanalysis confirmed that the biomineral part of the aortic samples of the M1 group consisted mainly of apatites, which correspond to previous studies. The Ca/P ratio was less in the M2 group than in the M1 group. It means that microcalcifications can be formed by more defective (immature) hydroxyapatite.