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While our knowledge about the roles of microbes and viruses in the ocean has increased tremendously due to recent advances in genomics and metagenomics, research on marine microbial eukaryotes and zooplankton has benefited much less from these new technologies because of their larger genomes, their enormous diversity, and largely unexplored physiologies. Here, we use a metatranscriptomics approach to capture expressed genes in open ocean Tara Oceans stations across four organismal size fractions. The individual sequence reads cluster into 116 million unigenes representing the largest reference collection of eukaryotic transcripts from any single biome. The catalog is used to unveil functions expressed by eukaryotic marine plankton, and to assess their functional biogeography. Almost half of the sequences have no similarity with known proteins, and a great number belong to new gene families with a restricted distribution in the ocean. Overall, the resource provides the foundations for exploring the roles of marine eukaryotes in ocean ecology and biogeochemistry.
Background
With upcoming therapeutic interventions for patients with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), instruments for the follow-up of patients are needed to describe disease progression and to evaluate potential therapeutic effects. So far, volumetric brain changes have been proposed as clinical endpoints in the literature, but cognitive scores are still lacking. This study followed disease progression predominantly in language-based performance within 1 year and defined a PPA sum score which can be used in therapeutic interventions.
Methods
We assessed 28 patients with nonfluent variant PPA, 17 with semantic variant PPA, 13 with logopenic variant PPA, and 28 healthy controls in detail for 1 year. The most informative neuropsychological assessments were combined to a sum score, and associations between brain atrophy were investigated followed by a sample size calculation for clinical trials.
Results
Significant absolute changes up to 20% in cognitive tests were found after 1 year. Semantic and phonemic word fluency, Boston Naming Test, Digit Span, Token Test, AAT Written language, and Cookie Test were identified as the best markers for disease progression. These tasks provide the basis of a new PPA sum score. Assuming a therapeutic effect of 50% reduction in cognitive decline for sample size calculations, a number of 56 cases is needed to find a significant treatment effect. Correlations between cognitive decline and atrophy showed a correlation up to r = 0.7 between the sum score and frontal structures, namely the superior and inferior frontal gyrus, as well as with left-sided subcortical structures.
Conclusion
Our findings support the high performance of the proposed sum score in the follow-up of PPA and recommend it as an outcome measure in intervention studies.
Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is characterized by deep alterations in behavior and personality. Although revised diagnostic criteria agree for executive dysfunction as most characteristic, impairments in social cognition are also suggested. The study aimed at identifying those neuropsychological and behavioral parameters best discriminating between bvFTD and healthy controls. Eighty six patients were diagnosed with possible or probable bvFTD according to Rascovsky et al. (2011) and compared with 43 healthy age-matched controls. Neuropsychological performance was assessed with a modified Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), Stroop task, Trail Making Test (TMT), Hamasch-Five-Point Test (H5PT), and semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tasks. Behavior was assessed with the Apathy Evaluation Scale, Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale, and Bayer Activities of Daily Living Scale. Each test’s discriminatory power was investigated by Receiver Operating Characteristic curves calculating the area under the curve (AUC). bvFTD patients performed significantly worse than healthy controls in all neuropsychological tests. Discriminatory power (AUC) was highest in behavioral questionnaires, high in verbal fluency tasks and the RMET, and lower in executive function tests such as the Stroop task, TMT and H5PT. As fluency tasks depend on several cognitive functions, not only executive functions, results suggest that the RMET discriminated better between bvFTD and control subjects than other executive tests. Social cognition should be incorporated into diagnostic criteria for bvFTD in the future, such as in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, as already suggested in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM)-5.
Large Stokes shift (LSS) fluorescent proteins (FPs) exploit excited state proton transfer pathways to enable fluorescence emission from the phenolate intermediate of their internal 4 hydroxybenzylidene imidazolone (HBI) chromophore. An RNA aptamer named Chili mimics LSS FPs by inducing highly Stokes-shifted emission from several new green and red HBI analogs that are non-fluorescent when free in solution. The ligands are bound by the RNA in their protonated phenol form and feature a cationic aromatic side chain for increased RNA affinity and reduced magnesium dependence. In combination with oxidative functional-ization at the C2 position of the imidazolone, this strategy yielded DMHBO\(^+\), which binds to the Chili aptamer with a low-nanomolar K\(_D\). Because of its highly red-shifted fluorescence emission at 592 nm, the Chili–DMHBO\(^+\) complex is an ideal fluorescence donor for Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to the rhodamine dye Atto 590 and will therefore find applications in FRET-based analytical RNA systems.
Staphylococcus epidermidis, the common inhabitant of human skin and mucosal surfaces has emerged as an important pathogen in patients carrying surgical implants and medical devices. Entering the body via surgical sites and colonizing the medical devices through formation of multi-layered biofilms leads to refractory and persistent device-related infections (DRIs). Staphylococci organized in biofilms are more tolerant to antibiotics and immune responses, and thus are difficult-to-treat. The consequent morbidity and mortality, and economic losses in health care systems has strongly necessitated the need for development of new anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm-based therapeutics. In this study, we describe the biological activity of a marine sponge-derived Streptomyces sp. SBT348 extract in restraining staphylococcal growth and biofilm formation on polystyrene, glass, medically relevant titan metal, and silicone surfaces. A bioassay-guided fractionation was performed to isolate the active compound (SKC3) from the crude SBT348 extract. Our results demonstrated that SKC3 effectively inhibits the growth (MIC: 31.25 \(\mu\)g/ml) and biofilm formation (sub-MIC range: 1.95-<31.25 \(\mu\)g/ml) of S. epidermidis RP62A in vitro. Chemical characterization of SKC3 by heat and enzyme treatments, and mass spectrometry (HRMS) revealed its heat-stable and non-proteinaceous nature, and high molecular weight (1258.3 Da). Cytotoxicity profiling of SKC3 in vitro on mouse fibroblast (NIH/3T3) and macrophage (J774.1) cell lines, and in vivo on the greater wax moth larvae Galleria mellonella revealed its non-toxic nature at the effective dose. Transcriptome analysis of SKC3 treated S. epidermidis RP62A has further unmasked its negative effect on central metabolism such as carbon flux as well as, amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism. Taken together, these findings suggest a potential of SKC3 as a putative drug to prevent staphylococcal DRIs.
Whereas G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been long believed to signal through cyclic AMP exclusively at cell surface, our group has previously shown that GPCRs not only signal at the cell surface but can also continue doing so once internalized together with their ligands, leading to persistent cAMP production. This phenomenon, which we originally described for the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) in thyroid cells, has been observed also for other GPCRs. However, the intracellular compartment(s) responsible for such persistent signaling and its consequences on downstream effectors were insufficiently characterized. The aim of this study was to follow by live-cell imaging the trafficking of internalized TSHRs and other involved signaling proteins as well as to understand the consequences of signaling by internalized TSHRs on the downstream activation of protein kinase A (PKA). cAMP and PKA
activity was measured in real-time in living thyroid cells using FRET-based sensors Epac1-camp and AKAR2 respectively. The results suggest that TSH co-internalizes with its receptor and that the internalized TSH/TSHR complexes traffic retrogradely to the trans-Golgi network (TGN). This study also provides evidence that these internalized TSH/TSHR complexes meet an intracellular pool of Gs proteins in sorting endosomes and in TGN and activate it there, as visualized in real-time using a conformational biosensor nanobody, Nb37. Acute Brefeldin A-induced Golgi collapse hinders the retrograde trafficking of TSH/TSHR complexes, leading to reduced cAMP production and PKA signaling. BFA pretreatment was also able to attenuate CREB phosphorylation suggesting that an intact Golgi/TGN organisation is essential
for an efficient cAMP/PKA signaling by internalized TSH/TSHR complexes. Taken together this data provides evidence that internalized TSH/TSHR complexes meet and activate Gs proteins in sorting endosomes and at the TGN, leading to a local activation of PKA and consequently increased CREB activation. These findings suggest unexpected functions for receptor internalization, with major pathophysiological and pharmacological implications.
Background:
The presented prospective randomized controlled single-centre study compares the clinical outcome up to 12 months after total hip arthroplasty using a minimally invasive single-incision direct anterior (DAA) and a direct transgluteal lateral approach.
Methods:
A total of 123 arthroplasties were evaluated utilizing the Harris Hip Score (HHS), the extra short musculoskeletal functional assessment questionnaire (XSFMA), the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey, a Stepwatch™ Activity Monitor (SAM), and a timed 25 m foot walk (T25-FW). Postoperative x-ray images after THA were reviewed to determine inclination and stem positioning.
Results:
At final follow-up, the XSFMA functional index scores were 10.3 (anterior) and 15.08 (lateral) while the bother index summed up to a score of 15.8 (anterior) and 21.66 (lateral) respectively, thus only differing significantly for the functional index (p = 0.040 and p = 0.056). The SF-36 physical component score (PCS) was 47.49 (anterior) and 42.91 (lateral) while the mental component score (MCS) summed up to 55.0 (anterior) and 56.23 (lateral) with a significant difference evident for the PCS (p = 0.017; p = 0.714). Patients undergoing THA through a DAA undertook a mean of 6402 cycles per day while those who had undergone THA through a transgluteal approach undertook a mean of 5340 cycles per day (p = 0.012). Furthermore, the obtained outcome for the T25-FW with 18.4 s (anterior) and 19.75 s (lateral) and the maximum walking distance (5932 m and 5125 m) differed significantly (p = 0.046 and p = 0.045). The average HHS showed no significant difference equaling 92.4 points in the anterior group and 91.43 in the lateral group (p = 0.477). The radiographic analysis revealed an average cup inclination of 38.6° (anterior) and 40.28° (lateral) without signs of migration.
Conclusion:
In summary, our outcomes show that after 1 year THA through the direct anterior approach results in a higher patient activity compared to THA utilizing a transgluteal lateral approach while no differences regarding hip function are evident.
A search for massive coloured resonances which are pair-produced and decay into two jets is presented. The analysis uses 36.7 fb(-1) of root s = 13 TeV pp collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2015 and 2016. No significant deviation from the background prediction is observed. Results are interpreted in a SUSY simplified model where the lightest supersymmetric particle is the top squark, (t) over tilde, which decays promptly into two quarks through R-parity-violating couplings. Top squarks with masses in the range 100 GeV < m((T) over tilde) < 410 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. If the decay is into a b-quark and a light quark, a dedicated selection requiring two b-tags is used to exclude masses in the ranges 100 GeV < m((t) over tilde) < 470 GeV and 480 GeV < m(<(t)over tilde>) < 610 GeV. Additional limits are set on the pair-production of massive colour-octet resonances.
A search for heavy resonances decaying into a Higgs boson (H) and a new particle (X) is reported, utilizing 36.1 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 13 TeV collected during 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The particle Xis assumed to decay to a pair of light quarks, and the fully hadronic final state XH -> q (q) over bar 'b (b) over bar is analysed. The search considers the regime of high XH resonance masses, where the X and H bosons are both highly Lorentz-boosted and are each reconstructed using a single jet with large radius parameter. A two-dimensional phase space of XH mass versus X mass is scanned for evidence of a signal, over a range of XH resonance mass values between 1 TeV and 4 TeV, and for X particles with masses from 50 GeV to 1000 GeV. All search results are consistent with the expectations for the background due to Standard Model processes, and 95% CL upper limits are set, as a function of XH and X masses, on the production cross-section of the XH -> q (q) over bar 'b (b) over bar resonance. (c) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
A shear-dependent NO-cGMP-cGKI cascade in platelets acts as an auto-regulatory brake of thrombosis
(2018)
Mechanisms that limit thrombosis are poorly defined. One of the few known endogenous platelet inhibitors is nitric oxide (NO). NO activates NO sensitive guanylyl cyclase (NO-GC) in platelets, resulting in an increase of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Here we show, using cGMP sensor mice to study spatiotemporal dynamics of platelet cGMP, that NO-induced cGMP production in pre-activated platelets is strongly shear-dependent. We delineate a new mode of platelet-inhibitory mechanotransduction via shear-activated NO-GC followed by cGMP synthesis, activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (cGKI), and suppression of Ca2+ signaling. Correlative profiling of cGMP dynamics and thrombus formation in vivo indicates that high cGMP concentrations in shear-exposed platelets at the thrombus periphery limit thrombosis, primarily through facilitation of thrombus dissolution. We propose that an increase in shear stress during thrombus growth activates the NO-cGMP-cGKI pathway, which acts as an auto-regulatory brake to prevent vessel occlusion, while preserving wound closure under low shear.
Pacemaker systems are an essential tool for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, the immune system’s natural response to a foreign body results in the encapsulation of a pacemaker electrode and an impaired energy efficiency by increasing the excitation threshold. The integration of the electrode into the tissue is affected by implant properties such as size, mechanical flexibility, shape, and dimensionality. Three-dimensional, tissue-like electrode scaffolds render an alternative to currently used planar metal electrodes. Based on a modified electrospinning process and a high temperature treatment, a conductive, porous fiber scaffold was fabricated. The electrical and immunological properties of this 3D electrode were compared to 2D TiN electrodes. An increased surface of the fiber electrode compared to the planar 2D electrode, showed an enhanced electrical performance. Moreover, the migration of cells into the 3D construct was observed and a lower inflammatory response was induced. After early and late in vivo host response evaluation subcutaneously, the 3D fiber scaffold showed no adverse foreign body response. By embedding the 3D fiber scaffold in human cardiomyocytes, a tissue-electrode hybrid was generated that facilitates a high regenerative capacity and a low risk of fibrosis. This hybrid was implanted onto a spontaneously beating, tissue-engineered human cardiac patch to investigate if a seamless electronic-tissue interface is generated. The fusion of this hybrid electrode with a cardiac patch resulted in a mechanical stable and electrical excitable unit. Thereby, the feasibility of a seamless tissue-electrode interface was proven.
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent one of the most important classes of drug targets. The discovery of new GCPR therapeutics would greatly benefit from the development of a generalizable high-throughput assay to directly monitor their activation or de-activation. Here we screened a variety of labels inserted into the third intracellular loop and the C-terminus of the alpha(2 Lambda)-adrenergic receptor and used fluorescence (FRET) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) to monitor ligand-binding and activation dynamics. We then developed a universal intramolecular BRET receptor sensor design to quantify efficacy and potency of GPCR ligands in intact cells and real time. We demonstrate the transferability of the sensor design by cloning beta(2)-adrenergic and PTH1-receptor BRET sensors and monitored their efficacy and potency. For all biosensors, the Z factors were well above 0.5 showing the suitability of such design for microtiter plate assays. This technology will aid the identification of novel types of GPCR ligands.
The desymmetrization of the cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbene-supported diboracumulene, B\(_2\)(cAAC\(^{Me}\))\(_2\) (cAAC\(^{Me}\) = 1- (2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,3,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-2-ylidene) by mono-adduct formation with IMe\(^{Me}\) (1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene) yields the zerovalent sp-sp\(^2\) diboron compound B\(_2\)(cAAC\(^{Me}\))\(_2\)(IMe\(^{Me}\)), which provides a versatile platform for the synthesis of novel symmetrical and unsymmetrical zerovalent sp\(^2\)-sp\(^2\) diboron compounds by adduct formation with IMe\(^{Me}\) and CO, respectively. Furthermore, B\(_2\)(cAAC\(^{Me}\))\(_2\)(IMe\(^{Me}\)) displays enhanced reactivity compared to its symmetrical precursor, undergoing spontaneous intramolecular C-H activation and facile twofold hydrogenation, the latter resulting in B-B bond cleavage and the formation of the mixed-base parent borylene, (cAAC\(^{Me}\))(IMe\(^{Me}\))BH.
The anti-oxidative enzyme, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), helps to promote inflammation resolution by eliminating oxidative species produced by the arachidonic acid (AA) metabolic network. Up-regulating its activity has been proposed as a promising strategy for inflammation intervention. In the present study, we aimed to study the effect of GPX4 activator on the AA metabolic network and inflammation related pathways. Using combined computational and experimental screen, we identified a novel compound that can activate the enzyme activity of GPX4 by more than two folds. We further assessed its potential in a series of cellular assays where GPX4 was demonstrated to play a regulatory role. We are able to show that GPX4 activation suppressed inflammatory conditions such as oxidation of AA and NF-κB pathway activation. We further demonstrated that this GPX4 activator can decrease the intracellular ROS level and suppress ferroptosis. Our study suggests that GPX4 activators can be developed as anti-inflammatory or cyto-protective agent in lipid-peroxidation-mediated diseases.
Early-life infections and associated neuroinflammation is incriminated in the pathogenesis of various mood disorders. Infection with human roseoloviruses, HHV-6A and HHV-6B, allows viral latency in the central nervous system and other tissues, which can later be activated causing cognitive and behavioral disturbances. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate possible association of HHV-6A and HHV-6B activation with three different groups of psychiatric patients. DNA qPCR, immunofluorescence and FISH studies were carried out in post-mortem posterior cerebellum from 50 cases each of bipolar disorder (BPD), schizophrenia, 15 major depressive disorder (MDD) and 50 appropriate control samples obtained from two well-known brain collections (Stanley Medical Research Institute). HHV-6A and HHV-6B late proteins (indicating active infection) and viral DNA were detected more frequently (p < 0.001 for each virus) in human cerebellum in MDD and BPD relative to controls. These roseolovirus proteins and DNA were found less frequently in schizophrenia cases. Active HHV-6A and HHV-6B infection in cerebellar Purkinje cells were detected frequently in BPD and MDD cases. Furthermore, we found a significant association of HHV-6A infection with reduced Purkinje cell size, suggesting virus-mediated abnormal Purkinje cell function in these disorders. Finally, gene expression analysis of cerebellar tissue revealed changes in pathways reflecting an inflammatory response possibly to HHV-6A infection. Our results provide molecular evidence to support a role for active HHV-6A and HHV-6B infection in BPD and MDD.
We previously identified peptides that are actively transported across the intact tympanic membrane (TM) of rats with infected middle ears. To assess the possibility that this transport would also occur across the human TM, we first developed and validated an assay to evaluate transport in vitro using fragments of the TM. Using this assay, we demonstrated the ability of phage bearing a TM-transiting peptide to cross freshly dissected TM fragments from infected rats or from uninfected rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. We then evaluated transport across fragments of the human TM that were discarded during otologic surgery. Human trans-TM transport was similar to that seen in the animal species. Finally, we found that free peptide, unconnected to phage, was transported across the TM at a rate comparable to that seen for peptide-bearing phage. These studies provide evidence supporting the concept of peptide-mediated drug delivery across the intact TM and into the middle ears of patients.
Background
The role of a healthy dietary pattern in the prevention of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between adherence to a Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension‐style dietary pattern and the risk of incident AAAs.
Methods and Results
Dietary intake was assessed via a 66‐item food frequency questionnaire at baseline (1987–1989) and at visit 3 (1993–1995) in 13 496 participants enrolled in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study without clinical AAA (mean age, 54 years). A dietary scoring index based on food times was constructed to assess self‐reported adherence to a dietary approaches to stop hypertension‐style dietary pattern. Participants were followed for incident clinical AAAs using hospital discharge diagnoses, Medicare inpatient and outpatient diagnoses, or death certificates through December 31, 2011. Cox proportional hazards models with covariate adjustment were used to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals. During a median follow‐up of 23 years, there were 517 incident AAA cases. Individuals with a Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension‐style diet score in the highest quintile had a 40% lower risk of hospitalization for AAA than those in the lowest quintile (hazard ratio\(_{Q5}\) vs \(_{Q1}\): 0.60; 95% confidence intervals: 0.44, 0.83; P\(_{trend}\)=0.002). In detailed analyses, higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low‐fat dairy, and nuts and legumes was related to a lower risk for AAA.
Conclusions
Greater adherence to a Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension‐style dietary pattern was associated with lower risk for AAA. Higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low‐fat dairy as well as nuts and legumes may help to decrease the burden of AAAs.
The goal of this work is to improve the understanding of adsorption-induced deformation in nanoporous (and in particular microporous) materials in order to explore its potential for material characterization and provide guidelines for related technical applications such as adsorption-driven actuation. For this purpose this work combines in-situ dilatometry measurements with in-depth modeling of the obtained adsorption-induced strains. A major advantage with respect to previous studies is the combination of the dilatometric setup and a commercial sorption instrument resulting in high quality adsorption and strain isotherms. The considered model materials are (activated and thermally annealed) carbon xerogels, a sintered silica aerogel, a sintered hierarchical structured porous silica and binderless zeolites of type LTA and FAU; this selection covers micro-, meso- and macroporous as well as ordered and disordered model materials.
All sample materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, gas adsorption and sound velocity measurements. In-situ dilatometry measurements on mesoporous model materials were performed for the adsorption of N2 at 77 K, while microporous model materials were also investigated for CO2 adsorption at 273 K, Ar adsorption at 77 K and H2O adsorption at 298 K. Within this work the available in-situ dilatometry setup was revised to improve resolution and reproducibility of measurements of small strains at low relative pressures, which are of particular relevance for microporous materials.
The obtained experimental adsorption and strain isotherms of the hierarchical structured porous silica and a micro-macroporous carbon xerogel were quantitatively analyzed based on the adsorption stress model; this approach, originally proposed by Ravikovitch and Neimark, was extended for anisotropic pore geometries within this work. While the adsorption in silica mesopores could be well described by the classical and analytical theory of Derjaguin, Broekhoff and de Boer, the adsorption in carbon micropores required for comprehensive nonlocal density functional theory calculations. To connect adsorption-induced stresses and strains, furthermore mechanical models for the respective model materials were derived. The resulting theoretical framework of adsorption, adsorption stress and mechanical model was applied to the experimental data yielding structural and mechanical information about the model materials investigated, i.e., pore size or pore size distribution, respectively, and mechanical moduli of the porous matrix and the nonporous solid skeleton. The derived structural and mechanical properties of the model materials were found to be consistent with independent measurements and/or literature values. Noteworthy, the proposed extension of the adsorption stress model proved to be crucial for the correct description of the experimental data.
Furthermore, it could be shown that the adsorption-induced deformation of disordered mesoporous aero-/xerogel structures follows qualitatively the same mechanisms obtained for the ordered hierarchical structured porous silica. However, respective quantitative modeling proved to be challenging due to the ill-shaped pore geometry of aero-/xerogels; good agreement between model and experiment could only be achieved for the filled pore regime of the adsorption isotherm and the relative pressure range of monolayer formation. In the intermediate regime of multilayer formation a more complex model than the one proposed here is required to correctly describe stress related to the curved adsorbate-adsorptive interface. Notably, for micro-mesoporous carbon xerogels it could be shown that micro- and mesopore related strain mechanisms superimpose one another.
The strain isotherms of the zeolites were only qualitatively evaluated. The result for the FAU type zeolite is in good agreement with other experiments reported in literature and the theoretical understanding derived from the adsorption stress model. On the contrary, the strain isotherm of the LTA type zeolite is rather exceptional as it shows monotonic expansion over the whole relative pressure range. Qualitatively this type of strain isotherm can also be explained by the adsorption stress model, but a respective quantitative analysis is beyond the scope of this work.
In summary, the analysis of the model materials' adsorption-induced strains proved to be a suitable tool to obtain information on their structural and mechanical properties including the stiffness of the nonporous solid skeleton. Investigations on the carbon xerogels modified by activation and thermal annealing revealed that adsorption-induced deformation is particularly suited to analyze even small changes of carbon micropore structures.