Interaction of Micro- and Nanoplastics with Enzymes: The Case of Carbonic Anhydrase.

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as significant environmental pollutants with potential detrimental effects on ecosystems and human health. Several studies indicate their interaction with enzymes; this topic represents a multifaceted research field encompassing several areas of interest from the toxicological and ecotoxicological impact of MPs and NPs on humans and wildlife to the biodegradation of plastics by microbial enzymes. This review aims to provide a critical analysis of the state-of-the-art knowledge of the interaction of MPs and NPs on the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), providing recent insights, analyzing the knowledge gaps in the field, and drawing future perspectives of the research and its application. CA is a widespread and crucial enzyme in various organisms; it is critical for various physiological processes in animals, plants, and bacteria. It catalyzes the reversible hydration of CO2, which is essential for respiration, acid-base balance, pH homeostasis, ion transport, calcification, and photosynthesis. Studies demonstrate that MPs and NPs can inhibit CA activity with mechanisms including adsorption to the enzyme surface and subsequent conformational changes. In vitro and in silico studies highlight the role of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions in these processes. In vivo studies present mixed results, which are influenced by factors like particle type, size, concentration, and organism type. Moreover, the potentiality of the esterase activity of CA for plastic degradation is discussed. The complexity of the interaction between CA and MPs/NPs underscores the need for further research to fully understand the ecological and health impacts of MPs and NPs on CA activity and expression and glimpses of the potentiality and perspectives in this field.

Highly efficient sequestration of aqueous lead on nanostructured calcite substrates.

Following defocused ion beam sputtering, large area highly corrugated and faceted nanoripples are formed on calcite (10.4) faces in a self-organized fashion. High resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging reveals that calcite ripples are defined by facets with highly kinked (11.0) and (21¯.12) terminations.In situAFM imaging during the exposure of such modified calcite surfaces to PbCl2aqueous solution reveals that the nanostructured calcite surface promotes the uptake of Pb. In addition, we observed the progressive smoothing of the highly reactive calcite facet terminations and the formation of Pb-bearing precipitates elongated in registry with the underlying nanopattern. By SEM-EDS analysis we quantified a remarkable 500% increase of the Pb uptake rate, up to 0.5 atomic weight % per hour, on the nanorippled calcite in comparison to its freshly cleaved (10.4) surfaces. These results suggest that nanostructurated calcite surfaces can be used for developing future systems for lead sequestration from polluted waters.

Intracellular Redox Behavior of Quercetin and Resveratrol Singly and in Mixtures.

Polyphenols have attracted great interest as potent antioxidant compounds and nutraceuticals; however, their antioxidant properties represent a multifaceted phenomenon, including pro-oxidant effects under particular conditions and complex behavior when multiple polyphenols are simultaneously present. Moreover, their intracellular behavior cannot always be predicted from their ability to counteract the production of ROS in acellular assays. The present work aimed to study the direct intracellular redox activity of two polyphenols, resveratrol and quercetin, singly and in mixture in a cellular short-term bioassay under both basal and pro-oxidant conditions. The study was carried out by spectrofluorimetric assessment of the intracellular fluorescence of CM-H2DCFDA-charged HeLa cells under either basal conditions, due to the reactive species associated with the normal cellular oxidative metabolism, or pro-oxidant conditions induced by H2O2 exposure. Under basal conditions, the obtained results showed a significant antioxidant effect of quercetin and a weaker antioxidant effect of resveratrol when used singly, while antagonism of their effect was detected in their equimolar mixtures at all the concentrations used. Under exposure of the cells to H2O2, quercetin exhibited a dose-dependent intracellular antioxidant activity whereas resveratrol manifested a pro-oxidant intracellular activity, while their equimolar mixtures showed an intracellular interaction between the 2 polyphenols, with additive effects at 5 µM and synergic at 25 µM and 50 µM. Thus, the results clarified the direct intracellular antioxidant/pro-oxidant activity of quercetin and resveratrol alone and in their equimolar mixtures in the cell model HeLa cells and highlighted that the antioxidant properties of polyphenols in mixtures at the cellular level depend not only on the nature of the compounds themselves but also on the type of interactions in the cellular system, which in turn are influenced by the concentration and the oxidative status of the cell.

Free-standing plasmonic nanoarrays for leaky optical waveguiding and sensing.

Flat optics nanogratings supported on thin free-standing membranes offer the opportunity to combine narrowband waveguided modes and Rayleigh anomalies for sensitive and tunable biosensing. At the surface of high-refractive index Si3N4 membranes we engineered lithographic nanogratings based on plasmonic nanostripes, demonstrating the excitation of sharp waveguided modes and lattice resonances. We achieved fine tuning of these optical modes over a broadband Visible and Near-Infrared spectrum, in full agreement with numerical calculations. This possibility allowed us to select sharp waveguided modes supporting strong near-field amplification, extending for hundreds of nanometres out of the grating and enabling versatile biosensing applications. We demonstrate the potential of this flat-optics platform by devising a proof-of-concept nanofluidic refractive index sensor exploiting the long-range waveguided mode operating at the sub-picoliter scale. This free-standing device configuration, that could be further engineered at the nanoscale, highlights the strong potential of flat-optics nanoarrays in optofluidics and nanofluidic biosensing.

Omnidirectional and broadband photon harvesting in self-organized Ge columnar nanovoids.

Highly porous Germanium surfaces with uniformly distributed columnar nanovoid structures are fabricated over a large area (wafer scale) by large fluence Sn+irradiation through a thin silicon nitride layer. The latter represents a one-step highly reproducible approach with no material loss to strongly increase photon harvesting into a semiconductor active layer by exploiting the moth-eye antireflection effect. The ion implantation through the nitride cap layer allows fabricating porous nanostructures with high aspect ratio, which can be tailored by varying ion fluence. By comparing the reflectivity of nanoporous Ge films with a flat reference we demonstrate a strong and omnidirectional reduction in the optical reflectivity by a factor of 96% in the selected spectral regions around 960 nm and by a factor of 67.1% averaged over the broad spectral range from 350 to 1800 nm. Such highly anti-reflective nanostructured Ge films prepared over large-areas with a self-organized maskless approach have the potential to impact real world applications aiming at energy harvesting.

Color Routing via Cross-Polarized Detuned Plasmonic Nanoantennas in Large-Area Metasurfaces.

Bidirectional nanoantennas are of key relevance for advanced functionalities to be implemented at the nanoscale and, in particular, for color routing in an ultracompact flat-optics configuration. Here we demonstrate a novel approach avoiding complex collective geometries and/or restrictive morphological parameters based on cross-polarized detuned plasmonic nanoantennas in a uniaxial (quasi-1D) bimetallic configuration. The nanofabrication of such a flat-optics system is controlled over a large area (cm2) by a novel self-organized technique exploiting ion-induced nanoscale wrinkling instability on glass templates to engineer tilted bimetallic nanostrip dimers. These nanoantennas feature broadband color routing with superior light scattering directivity figures, which are well described by numerical simulations and turn out to be competitive with the response of lithographic nanoantennas. These results demonstrate that our large-area self-organized metasurfaces can be implemented in real-world applications of flat-optics color routing from telecom photonics to optical nanosensing.

Carbonic Anhydrase Sensitivity to Pesticides: Perspectives for Biomarker Development.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a widespread metalloenzyme playing a pivotal role in several physiological processes. Many studies have demonstrated the in vitro and in vivo sensitivity of CA to the exposure to several classes of pesticides in both humans and wildlife. This review aims to analyze and to discuss the literature available in this field, providing a comprehensive view useful to foresee perspectives for the development of novel CA-based pesticide biomarkers. The analysis of the available data highlighted the ability of several pesticide molecules to interact directly with the enzyme in humans and wildlife and to inhibit CA activity in vitro and in vivo, with possible alterations of key physiological functions. The analysis disclosed key areas of further research and, at the same time, identified some perspectives for the development of novel CA-based sensitive biomarkers to pesticide exposure, suitable to be used in several fields from human biomonitoring in occupational and environmental medicine to environmental monitoring on non-target species.

Cognitive and neurobehavioral benefits of an enriched environment on young adult mice after chronic ethanol consumption during adolescence.

Binge drinking (BD) is a common pattern of ethanol (EtOH) consumption by adolescents. The brain effects of the acute EtOH exposure are well-studied; however, the long-lasting cognitive and neurobehavioral consequences of BD during adolescence are only beginning to be elucidated. Environmental enrichment (EE) has long been known for its benefits on the brain and may serve as a potential supportive therapy following EtOH exposure. In this study, we hypothesized that EE may have potential benefits on the cognitive deficits associated with BD EtOH consumption. Four-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were exposed to EtOH following an intermittent 4-day drinking-in-the-dark procedure for 4 weeks. Then they were exposed to EE during EtOH withdrawal for 2 weeks followed by a behavioral battery of tests including novel object recognition, novel location, object-in-place, rotarod, beam walking balance, tail suspension, light-dark box and open field that were run during early adulthood. Young adult mice exposed to EE significantly recovered recognition, spatial and associative memory as well as motor coordination skills and balance that were significantly impaired after adolescent EtOH drinking with respect to controls. No significant permanent anxiety or depressive-like behaviors were observed. Taken together, an EE exerts positive effects on the long-term negative cognitive deficits as a result of EtOH consumption during adolescence.

Macronutrient deprivation eustress elicits differential secondary metabolites in red and green-pigmented butterhead lettuce grown in a closed soilless system.

BACKGROUND: Through precise control of the nutrient solution (NS), closed soilless systems enable targeted manipulation of plant secondary metabolites, which constitute health-promoting components of the human daily diet. A nutrient film technique (NFT) system was employed to assess the effect of NS macronutrient-based concentration (full, half-, and quarter-strength corresponding to electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.5, 0.75, and 0.5 dS m-1 ) on the bioactive profile of red and green-pigmented Salanova® butterhead lettuce. RESULTS: Half-strength NS reduced fresh biomass of both cultivars by 14%, whereas quarter-strength NS reduced the fresh biomass of green and red Salanova by 24% and 38%, respectively. However, moderate nutrient stress (half-strength NS) boosted red Salanova total ascorbic acid, chlorogenic, chicoric, caffeoyl-meso-tartaric, total phenolic acids, and anthocyanins concentrations by 266%, 199%, 124%, 251%, 162%, and 380%, respectively compared with the control, full-strength NS. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional eustress and appropriate cultivar selection are effective means to increase phytochemical content and optimize year-round production of lettuce in closed soilless systems. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phase-resolved terahertz self-detection near-field microscopy.

At terahertz (THz) frequencies, scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) based on continuous wave sources mostly relies on cryogenic and bulky detectors, which represents a major constraint for its practical application. Here, we devise a THz s-SNOM system that provides both amplitude and phase contrast and achieves nanoscale (60-70nm) in-plane spatial resolution. It features a quantum cascade laser that simultaneously emits THz frequency light and senses the backscattered optical field through a voltage modulation induced inherently through the self-mixing technique. We demonstrate its performance by probing a phonon-polariton-resonant CsBr crystal and doped black phosphorus flakes.

Effect of the flame retardant tris (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) on Na+-K+-ATPase and Cl- transport in HeLa cells.

Tris (1, 3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) is one of the most diffused phosphorus flame retardants in the environment and is highly persistent and abundant in residential dust samples. To date the cellular targets and mechanisms underlying its toxic effects are not completely understood. The aim of this work was to study the effects of TDCPP on ion transport mechanisms fundamental for the cellular ionic homeostasis, such as Na+-K+-ATPase and Cl- transport. HeLa cells were used as experimental model. TDCPP showed a dose-dependent effect on cell viability in cells exposed for 24 h as assessed by MTT test (IC50 = 52.5 µM). The flame retardant was able to exert a dose and time-dependent inhibition on the Na+-K+-ATPase activity. A short-term exposure (1 h) was able to exert a significant inhibition at 75 and 100 µM TDCPP, suggesting that TDCPP is able to directly interfere with the Na+-K+-ATPase phosphate catalytic activity. The sensitivity of the pump to lower TDCPP concentrations increased with the increase of the time of exposure. Following 24 h exposure a significant inhibition of about 40% was evident already at 10 µM and the IC50 value observed was 12.8 ± 6.0 µM. Moreover, TDCPP was also able to impair the NKCC mediated Cl- transport in HeLa cells, as assessed in YFP-H148Q/I152L-expressing HeLa cells. Following 1 h exposure TDCPP significantly inhibited the transport by about 30%. The kinetic analysis demonstrated a noncompetitive mechanism of inhibition. In conclusion, results demonstrated the impairment of ion transport mechanisms fundamental for ion homeostasis by TDCPP on HeLa cells.

Template-assisted growth of transparent plasmonic nanowire electrodes.

Self-organized nanowire arrays are confined by glancing-angle Au deposition on nanopatterned glass templates prepared by ion beam sputtering. The semi-transparent 1D nanowire arrays are extended over large cm2 areas and are endowed with excellent electrical conductivity competitive with the best transparent conductive oxides (sheet resistance in the range of 5-20 Ohm sq-1). In addition, the nanowires support localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonances, which are easily tunable into the visible and near infrared spectrum and are selectively excited with incident light polarized perpendicularly to the wires. Such substrates, thus, behave as multifunctional nanoelectrodes, which combine good optoelectronic performance with dichroic plasmonic excitation. The electrical percolation process of the Au nanoelectrodes was monitored in situ during growth at glancing angle, both on flat and nanopatterned glass templates. In the first case, we observed a universal scaling of the differential percolation rate, independently of the glancing deposition angle, while deviations from the universal scaling were observed when Au was confined on nanopatterned templates. In the latter case, the pronounced shadowing effect promotes the growth of locally connected 1D Au nanosticks on the 'illuminated' ripple ridges, thus, introducing strong anisotropies with respect to the case of a 2D percolating network.

The Complex Relationship between Metals and Carbonic Anhydrase: New Insights and Perspectives.

Carbonic anhydrase is a ubiquitous metalloenzyme, which catalyzes the reversible hydration of CO2 to HCO3(-) and H⁺. Metals play a key role in the bioactivity of this metalloenzyme, although their relationships with CA have not been completely clarified to date. The aim of this review is to explore the complexity and multi-aspect nature of these relationships, since metals can be cofactors of CA, but also inhibitors of CA activity and modulators of CA expression. Moreover, this work analyzes new insights and perspectives that allow translating new advances in basic science on the interaction between CA and metals to applications in several fields of research, ranging from biotechnology to environmental sciences.

Channeling motion of gold nanospheres on a rippled glassed surface.

Gold nanospheres have been manipulated by atomic force microscopy on a rippled glass surface produced by ion beam sputtering and coated with an ultrathin (10 nm thick) graphitic layer. This substrate is characterized by irregular wavy grooves running parallel to a preferential direction. Measurements in ambient conditions show that the motion of the nanoparticles is confined to single grooves ('channels'), along which the particles move till they are trapped by local bottlenecks. At this point, the particles cross the ripple pattern in a series of consecutive jumps and continue their longitudinal motion along a different channel. Moreover, due to the asymmetric shape of the ripple profiles, the jumps occur in the direction of minimum slope, resembling a ratchet mechanism. Our results are discussed, extending a collisional model, which was recently developed for the manipulation of nanospheres on flat surfaces, to the specific geometry of this problem.

Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in the SCIME™ recapitulates microbial community diversity and metabolites modulation of in vivo disease.

Establishing the context: Intestinal dysbiosis is a significant concern among dog owners, and the gut health of pets is an emerging research field. In this context, the Simulator of the Canine Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SCIME™) was recently developed and validated with in vivo data. Stating the purpose/introducing the study: The current study presents a further application of this model by using amoxicillin and clavulanic acid to induce dysbiosis, aiming to provoke changes in microbial community and metabolite production, which are well-known markers of the disease in vivo. Describing methodology: Following the induction of dysbiosis, prebiotic supplementation was tested to investigate the potential for microbiota recovery under different dietary conditions. Presenting the results: The results showed that antibiotic stimulation in the SCIME™ model can produce significant changes in microbial communities and metabolic activity, including a decrease in microbial richness, a reduction in propionic acid production, and alterations in microbial composition. Additionally, changes in ammonium and butyric acid levels induced by the tested diets were observed. Discussing the findings: This alteration in microbial community and metabolites production mimicks in vivo canine dysbiosis patterns. A novel dynamic in vitro model simulating canine antibiotic-induced dysbiosis, capable of reproducing microbial and metabolic changes observed in vivo, has been developed and is suitable for testing the effects of nutritional changes.

Group B streptococcus colonization in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a three-year monocentric retrospective study during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends to pregnant women, between 35 and 37 weeks of gestation, universal vaginal-rectal screening for GBS colonization, aimed at intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP). The latter is the only currently available and highly effective method against early onset GBS neonatal infections. Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the preventive measures implemented to mitigate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection led to the reduction in the access to many health facilities and services, including the obstetric and perinatal ones. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of maternal GBS colonization, as well as use of IAP and incidence of episodes of neonatal GBS infection when antibiotic prophylaxis has not been carried out in colonized and/or at risk subjects, in a population of pregnant women during (years 2020-2021) and after (year 2022) the COVID-19 pandemic, also with the aim to establish possible epidemiological and clinical differences in the two subjects' groups. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of pregnant women admitted to, and delivering, at the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care, of the University Hospital of Palermo, Italy, from 01.01.2020 to 31.12.2022. For each of them, we recorded pertinent socio-demographic information, clinical data related to pregnancy, delivery and peripartum, and specifically execution and status of vaginal and rectal swab test for GBS detection, along with eventual administration and modality of IAP. The neonatal outcome was investigated in all cases at risk (positive maternal swabs status for GBS, either vaginal or rectal, with or without/incomplete IAP, preterm labor and/or delivery, premature rupture of membranes ≥ 18 h, previous pregnancy ended with neonatal early onset GBS disease [EOD], urine culture positive for GBS in any trimester of current gestation, intrapartum temperature ≥ 38 °C and/or any clinical/laboratory signs of suspected chorioamnionitis). The data concerning mothers and neonates at risk, observed during the pandemic (years 2020-2021), were compared with those of both subjects' groups with overlapping risk factors recorded in the following period (year 2022). The chi squared test has been applied in order to find out the relationship between pregnant women with GBS colonization receiving IAP and outcome of their neonates. RESULTS: The total source population of the study consisted of 2109 pregnant women, in addition to their 2144 newborns. Our analysis, however, focused on women and neonates with risk factors. The vaginal-rectal swab for GBS was performed in 1559 (73.92%) individuals. The test resulted positive in 178 cases overall (11.42% of those undergoing the screening). Amongst our whole sample of 2109 subjects, 298 women had an indication for IAP (vaginal and/or rectal GBS colonization, previous pregnancy ended with neonatal GBS EOD, urine culture positive for GBS in any trimester of current gestation, and unknown GBS status at labor onset with at least any among delivery at < 37 weeks' gestation, amniotic membranes rupture ≥ 18 h and/or intrapartum temperature ≥ 38.0 °C), and 64 (21.48%) received adequate treatment; for 23 (7.72%) it was inadequate/incomplete, while 211 (70.8%) did not receive IAP despite maternal GBS colonization and/or the presence of any of the above mentioned risk factors. Comparing the frequency of performing vaginal-rectal swabs in the women admitted in the two time periods, the quote of those screened out of the total in the pandemic period (years 2020-2021) was higher than that of those undergoing GBS screening out of the total admitted in the year 2022 (75.65% vs. 70.38%, p = 0.009), while a greater number (not statistically significant, p = 0.12) of adequate and complete IAP was conducted in 2022, than in the previous biennium (26.36 vs. 18.62%). During the whole 3 years study period, as expected, none of the newborns of mothers with GBS colonization and/or risk factors receiving IAP developed EOD. Conversely, 13 neonates with EOD, out of 179 (7.3%) born to mothers with risk factors, were observed: 3 among these patients' mothers performed incomplete IAP, while the other 10 did not receive IAP. Neither cases of neonatal meningitis, nor deaths were observed. The incidence rate in the full triennium under investigation, estimated as the ratio between the number of babies developing the disease out of the total of 2144 newborns, was 6.06‰; among those born to mothers with risk factors, if comparing the two time periods, the incidence was 8.06% in the pandemic biennium, while 5.45% in the following year, evidencing thus no statistical significance (p = 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed in our Department an increased prevalence of pregnant women screened for, and colonized by GBS, in the last decade. However, an overall still low frequency of vaginal-rectal swabs performed for GBS, and low number of adequate and complete IAP despite the presence of risk factors have been found, which did not notably change during the two time periods. Moreover, significant EOD incidence rates have been reported among children of mothers carrying risk factors, although also in this case no statistically significant differences have been observed during and after the pandemic. Such data seem to be in contrast to those reported during the COVID-19, showing a decrease in the access to health facilities and increased mortality/morbidity rates also due to the restrictive measures adopted to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. These findings might be explained by the presence within the same metropolitan area of our Department of a COVID hospital and birthing center, which all the patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection referred to, and likely leading to a weaker concern of getting sick perceived by our patients. Although IAP is an easy procedure to implement, however adherence and uniformity in the management protocols are still not optimal. Therefore, the prophylactic measures adopted to date cannot be considered fully satisfactory, and should be improved. Better skills integration and obstetrical-neonatological collaboration, in addition to new effective preventive tools, like vaccines able to prevent invasive disease, may allow further reduction in morbidity and mortality rates related to GBS perinatal infection.

Evaluation of the fatty acid-based erythrocyte membrane lipidome in cats with food responsive enteropathy, inflammatory bowel disease and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma.

Feline chronic enteropathies (FCE), include food-responsive-enteropathy (FRE), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL), and are common causes of chronic gastrointestinal signs in cats. Distinguishing between different subgroups of FCE can be challenging due to the frequent overlap of anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory data. While dysregulation in lipid metabolism has been reported in humans and dogs with chronic IBD, similar changes in cats are not yet completely understood. Assessing the fatty acid (FA) profile of red blood cell (RBC) membranes offers a valuable method for evaluating the quantity and quality of structural and functional molecular components in the membranes. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the FA composition of RBC membranes in FCE in comparison to healthy cats (HC). Gas-chromatography was used to quantitatively analyze a cluster of 11 FA, and based on these results, parameters of lipid homeostasis and enzyme activity indexes were calculated. A total of 41 FCE cats (17 FRE, 15 IBD, 9 LGITL) and 43 HC were enrolled. In FCE cats, the values of docosapentaenoic acid (p = 0.0002) and docosahexaenoic acid (p = 0.0246), were significantly higher, resulting in an overall increase in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p = 0.006), and that of linoleic acid (p = 0.0026) was significantly lower. Additionally, FCE cats exhibited an increased PUFA balance (p = 0.0019) and Δ6-desaturase index (p = 0.0151), along with a decreased ω-6/ω-3 ratio (p = 0.0019). No differences were observed among cats affected by FRE, IBD and LGITL. Like humans and dogs, the results of this study indicate that FCE cats also display changes in their FA lipid profile at the level of the RBC membrane. The non-invasive analysis of RBC membrane shows promise as a potential tool for gaining a better understanding of lipid imbalances in this disease.

Production and physico-chemical characterization of nano-sized collagen from equine tendon.

In recent years, significant academic and commercial interest has focused on collagen derived from horse tendons, with potential applications across diverse sectors such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Nano collagen, with its enhanced wound penetration, improved cell contact, and heightened cellular regeneration and repair capabilities due to its high surface area, holds promise for a wide range of applications. In this study, we present a novel method for producing nano collagen from the equine tendon. Our approach is characterized by its speed, affordability, simplicity and environmentally friendly nature, with precise temperature-control to prevent collagen denaturation. We conducted a comprehensive characterization of the obtained samples, including assessments of morphology, chemical and thermal properties, particle size distribution and biocompatibility. Importantly, our results indicate improvements in thermal stability, and surface roughness of nano collagen, while preserving its molecular weight. These advancements expand the potential applications of nano collagen in various fields.

Fecal microbiota and concentrations of long-chain fatty acids, sterols, and unconjugated bile acids in cats with chronic enteropathy.

Feline chronic enteropathies (FCE) are common causes of chronic gastrointestinal signs in cats and include different diseases such as food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), and low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL). Although changes in intestinal microbiota and fecal metabolites have been reported in dogs and humans with chronic enteropathy, research in cats has been limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the fecal microbiota and lipid-related fecal metabolites in cats with FCE to a clinically healthy comparison group (CG). A total of 34 cats with FCE (13 FRE, 15 IBD, and 6 LGITL) and 27 cats in the CG were enrolled in this study. The fecal microbiota was evaluated by the qPCR-based feline Dysbiosis Index (DI). The feline DI in cats with CE (median: 1.3, range: -2.4 to 3.8) was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) compared to CG (median: - 2.3, Range: -4.3 to 2.3), with no difference found among the FCE subgroups. The fecal abundances of Faecalibacterium (p < 0.0001), Bacteroides (p < 0.0001), Fusobacterium (p = 0.0398), Bifidobacterium (p = 0.0004), and total bacteria (p = 0.0337) significantly decreased in cats with FCE. Twenty-seven targeted metabolites were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, including long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), sterols, and bile acids (BAs). Fecal concentrations of 5 of 12 LCFAs were significantly increased in cats with FCE compared to CG. Fecal concentrations of zoosterol (p = 0.0109), such as cholesterol (p < 0.001) were also significantly increased in cats with FCE, but those of phytosterols were significantly decreased in this group. No differences in fecal BAs were found between the groups. Although no differences were found between the four groups, the fecal metabolomic pattern of cats with FRE was more similar to that of the CG than to those with IBD or LGITL. This could be explained by the mild changes associated with FRE compared to IBD and LGITL. The study showed changes in intestinal microbiota and alteration of fecal metabolites in FCE cats compared to the CG. Changes in fecal lipids metabolites suggest a dysmetabolism of lipids, including LCFAs, sterols, and unconjugated BAs in cats with CE.

Assessing Right Atrial Size in Patients with Tricuspid Regurgitation: Importance of the Right Ventricular-Focused View.

AIMS: To assess the accuracy of measuring the right atrial volume (RAV) using two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) in a right ventricular focused (RVF) view compared to the conventional apical 4-chamber (4Ch) view in patients with secondary tricuspid regurgitation (STR). We also compared the clinical correlates of the measures obtained using different methods. METHODS AND RESULTS: The accuracy of RAV measurements obtained from 2DE- 4Ch and RVF views in 384 patients with STR were compared using three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) as a reference. We used the analysis of variance to test the differences among RAVs obtained from the different 2DE and 3DE acquisitions and the receiving operating characteristics (ROC) curves to evaluate the association with the composite endpoint of hospitalization for heart failure or death. Compared to 3DE, RAV was significantly more underestimated when measurements were obtained from 4Ch rather than RVF (-24% vs. -14%, respectively, p<0.001 for both). RAV underestimation in 4Ch and RVF view was relatively larger in lower grades of STR (-28% vs. -17% in mild, -23% vs. -14% in moderate, and -19% vs. -11% in severe STR, p=0.001), and in the atrial compared to ventricular (-28% vs. -22%; p=0.002) STR. RAV measured by 3DE and RVF showed the highest area under the curve (AUC=0.67 for 3DE vs 0.64 for RVF, p=0.05), while 4Ch was significantly less related to the outcomes (AUC: 0.61, p=0.021 vs 3DE RAV). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with STR, the use of RVF view improved the accuracy of 2DE RAV measurement as compared to the conventional 4Ch-derived measurements.