The endexine: a frequently overlooked pollen wall layer and a simple method for detection

Chemical burns of the vagina with severe hemorrhage: Report of four cases

Potassium permanganate has been reported to be an effective treatment for certain types of wounds. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of potassium permanganate in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. A single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus that presented with a foot ulcer persisting for >3 months. The control group (n=10) was treated with the current standard treatment, which comprises of measures for reducing pressure in the ulcerated area, daily cleansing of the ulcer with potable water and antiseptic wash solution, and the application of a disinfectant solution on the entire surface area of the ulcer; while the intervention group (n=15) received the standard treatment plus 5% topical potassium permanganate solution applied once a day for 21 days. In the intervention group, 1 patient did not tolerate the treatment and was eliminated from the study on the first day. The remaining patients tolerated the interventions well. At the end of the treatment period, ulcers in the control group had decreased by 38% whereas those in the intervention group decreased by 73% (P<0.009). The degree of decrease was also investigated; the ulcer size was ≥50% decreased in 40% of patients in the control group and in 86% of patients in the intervention group (P=0.02). In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that topical potassium permanganate is well tolerated and significantly accelerates the healing process of diabetic foot ulcers.

Lu, Y., Wang, L., Wang, D., Wang, Y., Zhang, M., Jin, B. and Chen, P. 2011. Male cone morphogenesis, pollen development and pollen dispersal mechanism inGinkgo bilobaL. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 971-981. Ginkgo biloba L. is one of the oldest gymnosperms. Male cone morphogenesis, pollen development and dispersal are important for successful pollination and reproduction. In this study, we investigated the development of male cone, pollen and the sporangial wall in detail. The results indicate that: (1) The primordia of male cones and leaves begin to differentiate in early June and remain open until the following March. The male cones then mature and release pollen in mid-April. The male cones are drooped and approximately perpendicular to the leaves during pollination. (2) The microsporocytes develop from the sporogenous cell and form a tetrahedral tetrad after two simultaneous asymmetrically meioses, then produce a matured four-cell pollen after three polar mitotic divisions. The matured pollen is hemispheric in shape with a large aperture area and three pollen wall layers; once released from the microsporangia, the pollen becomes boat-like in shape. (3) The sporangial walls are eusporangiate and consist of epidermis, endothecium and tapetum. The differentiation of the tapetum occurs separately from that of the epidermis and endothecium, and originates from the outermost layer of sporogenous cells. The sporangial walls exhibit shrinkage of the epidermis, fibrous thickening of the endothecium, and enzymic dissolution of the tapetum during pollen dispersal, which contributes to microsporangia opening. Based on these results, we conclude that there many unique and primitive characteristics of the development of the male cones, pollen and sporangial wall of G. biloba. In addition, we also found that the male cones, pollen and sporangial walls have evolved efficient structural and morphological adaptations to anemophily.

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used in arthroplasty as a key component of total joint replacements. In order to increase its wear resistance, the polymer is often cross-linked in a two-step procedure comprising irradiation and thermal treatment. Both modification steps impact UHMWPE lamellar structure. In this study we introduce a new staining method that makes it possible to visualize the UHMWPE lamellae by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The method consists of one-step staining with oleum (H 2 SO 4 solution of SO 3 ) for 4 days and ultramicrotomy; this is significantly simpler than previously described techniques and yields micrographs of the same quality. The lamellar thicknesses from TEM correlated well with those from small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. It has also been demonstrated that the exact values of lamellar thicknesses obtained from TEM micrographs strongly depend on the place selected for image analysis.

Abortifacient power of potassium permanganate rebirth of an archaic myth: Case report

A case of melanonychia and stained plaques in a pediatric patient: consider potassium permanganate Dear Editor, help from a dermatologist.It is important to recognize this atypical presentation causing melanonychia and cutaneous staining in patients, as it can obscure the skin manifestation of dermatitis.Patients should also be thoroughly counseled on some of the significant associated risks involving the use of potassium permanganate.

Potassium permanganate as an abortifacient: A 5 year review

Protein bodies, the characteristic spherical organelles present in human monoamine neurons, have been shown in previous electron microscope studies to originate as dense bodies in mitochondria. This study was designed to investigate the presence of catecholamine reaction products in the dense bodies of locus coeruleus neurons, in frozen fresh post-mortem brain tissue with the use of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) fixation. This fixation procedure forms a dense KMnO4/catecholamine reaction product, visible in the electron microscope, in the large dense-core vesicles of experimental animals. Our results demonstrate the localization of KMnO4 dense product in the cores of double membrane-bound spherical organelles, as well as in spherical structures in the matrix of typical mitochondria. No typical large dense-core vesicles were observed in these catecholamine neurons of the tissues studied. Our findings are consistent with the notion that altered mitochondria may contribute to the formation of a new type of large dense-core vesicle in the locus coeruleus neurons of man, which is probably an evolutionary adaptation of amine-storing organelles.

This research presents a groundbreaking approach in virus-related research, addressing challenges in electron microscopy (EM). This imaging technique has been crucial in exploring virus structures; however, traditional methods involve complex sample preparations and the risk of contamination. Herein, we introduce an approach that overcomes these obstacles, enabling high-resolution virus imaging without toxic staining procedures. Focusing on Begomovirus particles, an economically significant plant virus genus, our images confirm their non-enveloped structure and their twin icosahedral symmetry. Our methods involve sample collection, purification, and crystallization, followed by transmission electron microscopy - selected area electron diffraction (TEM-SAED) analysis. Notably, this study achieves 2D and 3D virus imaging through standard TEM, providing a new avenue for virus structure analysis and advancing virus-related research. Remarkable high image quality stemmed from the crystallization process, offering exciting possibilities for improving virus research and diagnosis while eliminating staining limitations.

The disposal of Chinese medicine residues has become a pressing environmental issue in China due to the rapid expansion of the Chinese medicine industry. This study investigated the removal of ammonium and phosphate from wastewater by the use of potassium permanganate (KMnO4)-modified Chinese medicine residues. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of the KMnO4-modified residues (MR) for nitrogen and phosphorus was significantly enhanced, which was 1.23 and 1.27 times higher than that of unmodified residue (UR). Bohm titration showed a twofold increase in carboxyl groups, while FT-IR and BET analyses indicated the formation of Mn-O compounds on the MR surface, which increased the specific surface area and pore volume by approximately 6 and 16 times, respectively, compared to UR. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of MR follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and fits the Langmuir isotherm model. These findings open a new window for resource utilization of Chinese medicine residues and the protection of the environment.

Structural alterations in the DNA ahead of the primer terminus during displacement synthesis by reverse transcriptases

Standard and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and advanced post processing of the TEM images have been applied for quantitative characterization of the hardening particle structure of an Al-Mg-Si alloy optimized for formation of the metastable phase β’. The relation between the structural characterization and the mechanical properties has been developed. A first attempt is presented on visualization and quantification of the coherency strain field of β’, based on a combination of Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP) calculations and continuum mechanical modelling.

Specimen preparation ranges from direct and simple methods to complex, time consuming and even frustrating ones. Fortunately, there are a number of simple methods which are quite adequate for some materials. For example, many particulate materials may be handled by the simple methods. This section covers a wide range of these more simple and generally direct methods which are described in broad subsections: optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) preparations. It must be emphasized that quick observation of most materials by a combination of a simple microscopy technique and direct preparation methods is often helpful in shedding light on the problem. This aids determination of the best approach to a solution. In many cases there is no one correct approach, but there may well be approaches that can save time, if they are conducted early in the study. Tradenames of products used in specimen preparation are mentioned in the text and, unless otherwise stated, these are standard materials available from the EM suppliers (Appendix V). Specific microscopes are not mentioned but microscope vendors are listed in Appendix VI.

Automated most-probable loss tomography of thick selectively stained biological specimens with quantitative measurement of resolution improvement

Spleen cells from mice infected with Friend leukemia virus were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Whereas splenocytes from normal noninfected animals showed the expected morphologic classes of lymphocytes, including those with smooth surfaces and with numerous villous projections, an alteration of cell type was evident within a few days after infection. Friend leukemia virus caused a rapid decrease in the number of villous cells, with a concomitant increase in the number of cells with smoother surfaces. By the end of the first 1 to 12 weeks after infection the majority of cells were smooth, many showing distinct morphologic changes, including "holes" and a spongy appearance. Nearly all of the splenocytes were abnormal in appearance by days 17 to 30 after infection, with most showing a spongy topography. These changes paralleled the marked immunosuppression induced by Friend leukemia virus infection, as well as the appearance of virus-associated surface antigen on individual splenocytes. Topographic changes evident by examination with scanning electron microscopy were not readily apparent by either standard histology or transmission electron microscopy.