Reliability and validity of the short version of the childhood abuse self report scale in Chinese college students.

BACKGROUND: The reliability and validity of the current scale for measuring childhood abuse in China are worrying. The development of the Short Version of the Childhood Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS-12) helps to change this situation, but the effectiveness of the tool has not yet been tested in Chinese participants. This study aims to test the reliability and validity of the CASRS­12 in Chinese college students. METHODS: A total of 932 college students were investigated, of whom 418 were investigated for the first time, and only the CASRS­12 was filled out. In the second survey, 514 participants filled out the CASRS­12, Depression Scale, Self-esteem Scale and Subjective Well-being Scale in turn. After 4 weeks, 109 participants were selected for retest. RESULTS: Each item of the CASRS­12 had good discrimination. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (χ2/df = 4. 18, RMSEA = 0. 079, CFI = 0. 95, TLI = 0. 94, IFI = 0. 95, NFI = 0. 94) all supported the four-factor structure of the scale, and the cumulative contribution rate of variance was 76.05%. Cronbach's α coefficient and retest reliability were 0.86 and 0.65, respectively. Childhood abuse was positively correlated with depression (r = 0. 42, p < 0.01), and negatively correlated with self-esteem (r=-0. 33, p < 0.01) and subjective well-being (r=-0. 32, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of CASRS­12 meets the measurement standard and could be used to measure the level of childhood abuse of Chinese college students.

ATG14 targets lipid droplets and acts as an autophagic receptor for syntaxin18-regulated lipid droplet turnover.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic lipid storage organelles that can be degraded by autophagy machinery to release neutral lipids, a process called lipophagy. However, specific receptors and regulation mechanisms for lipophagy remain largely unknown. Here, we identify that ATG14, the core unit of the PI3KC3-C1 complex, also targets LD and acts as an autophagic receptor that facilitates LD degradation. A negative regulator, Syntaxin18 (STX18) binds ATG14, disrupting the ATG14-ATG8 family members interactions and subverting the PI3KC3-C1 complex formation. Knockdown of STX18 activates lipophagy dependent on ATG14 not only as the core unit of PI3KC3-C1 complex but also as the autophagic receptor, resulting in the degradation of LD-associated anti-viral protein Viperin. Furthermore, coronavirus M protein binds STX18 and subverts the STX18-ATG14 interaction to induce lipophagy and degrade Viperin, facilitating virus production. Altogether, our data provide a previously undescribed mechanism for additional roles of ATG14 in lipid metabolism and virus production.

Acute Toxic Effects of Tetrodotoxin in Mice via Intramuscular Injection and Oral Gavage.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a highly fatal marine biotoxin. Constantly increasing intoxications and the lack of specific antitoxic drugs in clinical applications highlight the need for further research into the toxic effects of TTX. Current reports on poisoning cases and the TTX toxicity mechanism suggest that the blocking of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) by TTX is probably reversible, but direct evidence of this is lacking, as far as we are aware. This study explored the acute toxic effects of TTX at sub-lethal doses via different routes, analyzing variations in muscle strength and TTX concentration in the blood in mice. We found that the loss of muscle strength in mice caused by TTX was dose-dependent and reversible, and the death time and muscle strength variations after oral gavage with TTX appeared to occur later and were more variable than those after intramuscular injection. In conclusion, we systematically compared the acute toxic effects of TTX for two different administration routes at sub-lethal doses, directly verifying the reversible reaction of TTX blocking VGSCs and speculating that averting a complete block of VGSCs by TTX could be an effective strategy for preventing death from TTX poisoning. This work may provide data for the diagnosis and treatment of TTX poisoning.

Protective Effects of a Jellyfish-Derived Thioredoxin Fused with Cell-Penetrating Peptide TAT-PTD on H2O2-Induced Oxidative Damage.

Thioredoxin (Trx) plays a critical role in maintaining redox balance in various cells and exhibits anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, whether exogenous Trx can inhibit intracellular oxidative damage has not been investigated. In previous study, we have identified a novel Trx from the jellyfish Cyanea capillata, named CcTrx1, and confirmed its antioxidant activities in vitro. Here, we obtained a recombinant protein, PTD-CcTrx1, which is a fusion of CcTrx1 and protein transduction domain (PTD) of HIV TAT protein. The transmembrane ability and antioxidant activities of PTD-CcTrx1, and its protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HaCaT cells were also detected. Our results revealed that PTD-CcTrx1 exhibited specific transmembrane ability and antioxidant activities, and it could significantly attenuate the intracellular oxidative stress, inhibit H2O2-induced apoptosis, and protect HaCaT cells from oxidative damage. The present study provides critical evidence for application of PTD-CcTrx1 as a novel antioxidant to treat skin oxidative damage in the future.

Quality assessment and quality control of deep soil mixing columns based on a cement-content controlled method.

This paper presents a cement-content controlled method for quality assessment and quality control of the deep soil mixing (DSM) columns in slope reinforcement. The ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) titration method was modified and used for the cement content measurement of core samples, and the effects of curing conditions and curing period on the titration results were investigated. 35 DSM columns with different construction parameters were installed in the test section, and cement content and unconfined compression tests of field core samples were conducted. The relationship between the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and cement content of DSM columns was formulated, and the quality of DSM columns with different construction parameters was assessed. The test results suggested that the failure strength of the field cores was approximately 15-55% lower than that of laboratory samples with the same cement content. In single columns, the coefficient of variation (CV) of cement content had a negative correlation with the average failure strength and a positive correlation with the coefficient of variation of failure strength. Bidirectional mixing method, lower penetration and withdrawal velocity, more mixing blades and larger number of mixings could improve the uniformity of the DSM columns.

Dual-Modal Nanoscavenger for Detoxification of Organophosphorus Compounds.

Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) pose great military and civilian hazards. However, therapeutic and prophylactic antidotes against OP poisoning remain challenging. In this study, we first developed a novel nanoscavenger (rOPH/ZIF-8@E-Lipo) against methyl paraoxon (MP) poisoning using enzyme immobilization and erythrocyte-liposome hybrid membrane camouflage techniques. Then, we evaluated the physicochemical characterization, stability, and biocompatibility of the nanoscavengers. Afterward, we examined acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, cell viability, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) to indicate the protective effects of the nanoscavengers in vitro. Following the pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies, we further evaluated the therapeutic and prophylactic detoxification efficacy of the nanoscavengers against MP in various poisoning settings. Finally, we explored the penetration capacity of the nanoscavengers across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The present study validated the successful construction of a novel nanoscavenger with excellent stability and biocompatibility. In vitro, the resulting nanoscavenger exhibited a significant protection against MP-induced AChE inactivation, oxidative stress, and cytotoxicity. In vivo, apart from the positive therapeutic effects, the nanoscavengers also exerted significant prophylactic detoxification efficacy against single lethal MP exposure, repeated lethal MP challenges, and sublethal MP poisoning. These excellent detoxification effects of the nanoscavengers against OPs may originate from a dual-mode mechanism of inner recombinant organophosphorus hydrolase (rOPH) and outer erythrocyte membrane-anchored AChE. Finally, in vitro and in vivo studies jointly demonstrated that monosialoganglioside (GM1)-modified rOPH/ZIF-8@E-Lipo could penetrate the BBB with high efficiency. In conclusion, a stable and safe dual-modal nanoscavenger was developed with BBB penetration capability, providing a promising strategy for the treatment and prevention of OP poisoning.

Biomimetic Nanosponges Enable the Detoxification of Vibrio vulnificus Hemolysin.

Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) infection-associated multiple antibiotic resistance has raised serious public health concerns. Recently, nanosponges (NSs) have been expected to provide innovative platforms for addressing antibacterial and drug-resistant challenges by targeting various pore-forming toxins (PFTs). In the present study, we constructed NSs to explore the effects and possible mechanism of recombinant V. vulnificus hemolysin (rVvhA)-induced injuries. In vitro, NSs significantly reversed rVvhA-induced apoptosis and necrosis, and improved toxin-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, and apoptosis signaling pathway disruption. To explore the clinical translation potential of NSs, we established VvhA-induced septicemia and wound infection mouse models, respectively, and further found NSs could notably attenuate rVvhA-induced acute toxicity and septicemia-associated inflammation, as well as local tissue damage. In a conclusion, NSs showed excellent protective effects against rVvhA-induced toxicity, thus providing useful insights into addressing the rising threats of severe V. vulnificus infections.

Preparation and Evaluation of a Horse Antiserum against the Venom of Sea Snake Hydrophis curtus from Hainan, China.

Sea snake venom is extremely toxic, and it can induce severe respiratory failure and cause high mortality. The most effective first aid treatment for sea snake bites is to inject antivenom as soon as possible. However, in China, there are only four types of terrestrial snake antivenoms, none of which are effective in the treatment of sea snake bites. In order to develop an antivenom for the dominant species of sea snakes in Chinese seas, Hydrophis curtus venom (HcuV) was chosen as the antigen to immunize horses. From immune plasma, a high-titer Hydrophis curtus antivenom (HcuAV) was prepared. In vitro assessment showed that HcuAV had a cross-neutralizing capacity against HcuV and Hydrophis cyanocinctus venom (HcyV). In vivo assessment indicated that HcuAV injection could significantly improve the survival rates of the HcuV and HcyV envenomated mice (0% to 100% and 87.5%, respectively) when it was injected at a sufficient amount within the shortest possible time. In addition, HcuAV could also effectively alleviate multiple organ injuries caused by HcuV. These results provide experimental support for the future clinical application of HcuAV.

Exopolysaccharides from Pantoea alhagi NX-11 specifically improve its root colonization and rice salt resistance.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their extracellular polymers such as exopolysaccharides can enhance rice salt stress resistance, however, the relevant mechanism remains unclear. In this study, an exopolysaccharides-deficient strain, named ΔpspD, was obtained from Pantoea alhagi NX-11 by chromosomal pspD deletion. The yield and characteristics of ΔpspD exopolysaccharides was obviously different from P. alhagi NX-11 exopolysaccharides (PAPS). Subsequently, hydroponic experiments showed that NX-11 or PAPS could enhance rice salt tolerance, but ΔpspD could not. Furthermore, it was found that PAPS promoted P. alhagi rhizosphere colonization through a direct effect on biofilm formation, as well as through an indirect impact of enhancing the abilities of biofilm formation and chemotaxis by altering rice root exudates. Importantly, the effect of PAPS in promoting the root colonization of NX-11 was specific. Through transcriptome and RT-qPCR analysis, we revealed that this specificity correlated with PAPS-induced lectin overexpression. The specificity between exopolysaccharides and the host microorganism ensures the colonization of the latter, and prevents other microorganisms from hitchhiking to the rice roots.

Cyclo-γ-polyglutamic acid-coated dual-responsive nanomicelles loaded with doxorubicin for synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy.

Nanodrug delivery systems have been used extensively to improve the tumor-targeting ability and reduce the side effects of anticancer drugs. In this study, nanomicelles responsive to dual stimuli were designed and developed as drug carriers for delivering doxorubicin (DOX). The hydrophobic group of the nanomicelles was composed of the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and the disulfide bond-containing alpha-lipoic acid (LA); the hydrophilic group was made up of the nuclear localization signal (NLS, CGGGPKKKRKVGG) peptide with a lysine linker. Furthermore, anionic cyclo-γ-polyglutamic acid (cyclo-γ-PGA) was coated on the surface of the cationic micelles to construct a multifunctional drug delivery system (NLS-LA-PpIX-DOX@cyclo-γ-PGA). Cyclo-γ-PGA, as a biological coating material, notably improved the stability of the cationic micelles by reducing nonspecific reactions with anionic groups. Additionally, the cyclo-γ-PGA coating mediated active tumor targeting and enhanced the cellular uptake of micelles via the γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) pathway. The integrated micelles not only achieved photochemical internalization (PCI) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) via light-activated reactive oxygen species (ROS) but also realized controlled intracellular drug release via the glutathione (GSH)-responsive disulfide-bond cleavage. As a result, NLS-LA-PpIX-DOX@cyclo-γ-PGA exhibited excellent synergistic chemo-photodynamic antitumor activity and fewer side effects than other therapies both in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, this new dual-responsive drug delivery system (NLS-LA-PpIX-DOX@cyclo-γ-PGA) with improved stability and enhanced tumor-targeting ability may facilitate the development of high-efficiency and low-toxicity nanotherapeutic approaches.

Poly(γ-glutamic acid) Nanocoating To Enhance the Viability of Pseudomonas stutzeri NRCB010 through Cell Surface Engineering.

Microbial inoculants can enhance soil quality, promote plant nutrient acquisition, and alleviate problems caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. However, susceptibility to harsh conditions during transport and storage, as well as the short shelf-life of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), limit industrial application. Herein, a novel strategy to form nanocoating on bacterial surfaces to enhance viability was proposed. The nanocoating was composed of N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-modified poly (γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and calcium ions, which could adhere to the surface of bacteria by forming covalent bonds and ionic bonds with the bacteria. The bacteria encapsulated in the coating had better resistance against harsh conditions than bare bacteria. The viability of coated bacteria was also increased by 2.38 times compared with bare bacteria after 4 weeks of storage. The pot experiment showed that coated Pseudomonas stutzeri NRCB010 had better growth-promoting properties compared with free P. stutzeri NRCB010. These results indicate that cell surface engineering is an effective method to enhance the resistance of bacteria against harsh conditions and is expected to promote the widespread use of PGPR.

Injectable Nanosponge-Loaded Pluronic F127 Hydrogel for Pore-Forming Toxin Neutralization.

PURPOSE: Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) perform important functions during bacterial infections. Among various virulence-targeting therapies, nanosponges (NSs) have excellent neutralization effects on multiple PFTs. To enhance treatment efficacy, NSs tend to be incorporated into other biomaterials, such as hydrogels. METHODS: In the present work, red blood cell (RBC) vesicles were harvested to wrap polymer nanoparticles, leading to the formation of NSs, and the optimal Pluronic F127 hydrogel concentration was determined for gelation. Then, a novel detoxification system was constructed by incorporating NSs into an optimized Pluronic F127 hydrogel (NS-pGel). Next, the system was characterized by rheological and sustained release behavior as well as micromorphology. Then, the in vitro neutralization effect of NS-pGel on various PFTs was examined by a hemolysis protocol. Finally, therapeutic and prophylactic detoxification efficiency was evaluated in a mouse subcutaneous infection model in vivo. RESULTS: A thermosensitive, injectable detoxification system was successfully constructed by loading NSs into a 30% Pluronic F127 hydrogel. Characterization results demonstrated that the NS-pGel hybrid system sustained an ideal fluidity and viscosity at lower temperatures but exhibited a quick sol-gel transition capacity near body temperature. In addition, this hybrid system had a sustained release behavior accompanied by good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Finally, the NS-pGel system showed neutralization effects similar to those of NSs both in vitro and in vivo, indicating a good preservation of NS functionality. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we constructed a novel temperature-sensitive detoxification system with good biocompatibility and biodegradability, which may be applied to the clinical treatment of PFT-induced local lesions and infections.

A comparative analysis of the proteomes and biological activities of the venoms from two sea snakes, Hydrophis curtus and Hydrophis cyanocinctus, from Hainan, China.

We characterized and compared the venom protein profiles of Hydrophis curtus (synonyms: Lapemis hardwickii, Lapemis curtus and Hydrophis hardwickii) and Hydrophis cyanocinctus, the two representatives of medically important venomous sea snakes in Chinese waters using proteomic approaches. A total of 47 and 38 putative toxins were identified in H. curtus venom (HcuV) and H. cyanocinctus venom (HcyV), respectively, and these toxins could be grouped into 15 functional categories, mainly proteinases, phospholipases, three-finger toxins (3FTxs), lectins, protease inhibitors, ion channel inhibitors, cysteine-rich venom proteins (CRVPs) and snake venom metalloproteases (SVMPs). The constituent ratio of each toxin category varied between HcuV and HcyV with 3FTx (54% in HcuV/69% in HcyV) and PLA2 (38% in HcuV/22% in HcyV) unanimously ranked as the top two most abundant families. Both HcuV and HcyV exhibited relatively high lethality (LD50 values in mice of 0.34 µg/g and 0.24 µg/g, respectively), specific PLA2 activity and hemolytic activity. On the basis of several previous reports of HcuV and HcyV collected from other areas, these findings greatly expand our understanding of geographical variation and interspecies diversity of the two sea snake venoms and can provide a scientific basis for the development of specific sea snake antivenom in the future.

Characteristics and Outcomes of a Sample of Patients With COVID-19 Identified Through Social Media in Wuhan, China: Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The number of deaths worldwide caused by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is increasing rapidly. Information about the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 who were not admitted to hospital is limited. Some risk factors of mortality associated with COVID-19 are controversial (eg, smoking). Moreover, the impact of city closure on mortality and admission rates is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors of mortality associated with COVID-19 infection among a sample of patients in Wuhan whose conditions were reported on social media. METHODS: We enrolled 599 patients with COVID-19 from 67 hospitals in Wuhan in the study; 117 of the participants (19.5%) were not admitted to hospital. The demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and radiological features of the patients were extracted from their social media posts and coded. Telephone follow-up was conducted 1 month later (between March 15 and 23, 2020) to check the clinical outcomes of the patients and acquire other relevant information. RESULTS: The median age of patients with COVID-19 who died (72 years, IQR 66.5-82.0) was significantly higher than that of patients who recovered (61 years, IQR 53-69, P<.001). We found that lack of admission to hospital (odds ratio [OR] 5.82, 95% CI 3.36-10.1; P<.001), older age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.06-1.1; P<.001), diffuse distribution (OR 11.09, 95% CI 0.93-132.9; P=.058), and hypoxemia (odds ratio 2.94, 95% CI 1.32-6.6; P=.009) were associated with increasing odds of death. Smoking was not significantly associated with mortality risk (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.44-1.85; P=.78). CONCLUSIONS: Older age, diffuse distribution, and hypoxemia are factors that can help clinicians identify patients with COVID-19 who have poor prognosis. Our study suggests that aggregated data from social media can also be comprehensive, immediate, and informative in disease prognosis.

Investigation of gap-graded soils' seepage internal stability with the concept of void filling ratio.

Gap-graded soils from mountain areas are often used as subgrade filling materials, but problems associated with the gap-graded soils such as large permeability, poor uniformity, and poor seepage stability have to be solved. This article proposes a new terminology "void filling ratio" to study the seepage internal stability of gap-graded soils as subgrade filling materials. Laboratory seepage tests were performed to investigate the effects of compaction degrees of coarse grains, void filling ratios, and clay contents on the internal stability. Laboratory model tests were also performed to verify the findings from the laboratory seepage tests. It was found that the internal stability increased with increase of the void filling ratios, confirmed by both laboratory seepage tests and slope model tests. The increases of both void filling ratio and the clay content were able to change the type of internal instability from piping to the transitional type of internal instability. In laboratory model tests, surface areas lost more fine particles than the deeper area did in the models, but when the void filling ratio was increased, the amount of lost fine particles was significantly reduced. Finally, it was confirmed that void filling ratio was able to effectively describe the internal stability of gap-graded soils subject to different levels of hydraulic gradient.

Distribution, Sources, and Health Risk Assessment of Volatile Organic Compounds in Hefei City.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are involved in the formation of ozone formation, which plays a significant role in regional air contamination and poses a great threat to human health. The VOCs were collected from the urban area of Hefei city via an off-line sampling method (SUMMA canister) and determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. The average concentrations of VOCs were 17.65 ± 28.36 ppbv, which were mainly contributed by aromatics (10.02 ± 13.37 ppbv), haloalkane (5.37 ± 8.90 ppbv), ally halide (1.25 ± 3.36 ppbv), and aryl halid (1.02 ± 2.73 ppbv). According to the principal component analysis, three major sources were identified, including solvent use, vehicle exhaust, and industrial release, accounting for 70.6% of the total variance of the data. Health risk assessment was utilized to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the individual VOC. The total hazard ratio in the selected area was higher than 1, where could pose health threat to exposed population. The cancer risk for benzene, carbon tetrachloride, trichloromethane, and 1, 2-dichloroethane were 4.8 × 10-5, 4.5 × 10-5, 3.3 × 10-5, and 2.5 × 10-5, respectively, indicating definite health risks.

Antitumor Effect of 131I-Labeled Anti-VEGFR2 Targeted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) comprises approximately 2% of all thyroid cancers, and its median survival rate remains poor because of its resistance to conventional therapy. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-targeted therapeutics-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles represent a major advance for angiogenesis imaging and inhibition in lethal cancers. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether 131I-labeled anti-VEGFR2 targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticles would have antitumor efficacy in an ATC tumor-bearing nude mouse model. Using in vitro and in vivo studies, we investigated the increased targeting ability and retention time in the anti-VEGFR2 targeted group using confocal microscopy and a γ counter. The tumor tissue radioactivity of the anti-VEGFR2 targeted group at 24 and 72 h after intratumoral injection was significantly higher than that of the non-targeted groups (all P < 0.05). Moreover, we found that radioactive accumulation was obvious even at 3 week post-injection in the anti-VEGFR2 targeted group via single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography, which was not seen at 3 day post-injection in the Na131I group. Meanwhile, compared with the non-targeted group, tumor growth in the targeted group was significantly inhibited, without causing apparent systemic toxic effects. Additionally, the median survival time in the targeted group (41 days) was significantly prolonged compared with that in the non-targeted (34 days) or Na131I (25 days) groups (both P < 0.01). Our data support the view that the as-developed 131I-labeled anti-VEGFR2 targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticles showed promising results in ATC tumor-bearing mouse model and such an approach might represent a novel therapeutic option for ATC.

Improved surgical instruments without coupled motion used in minimally invasive surgery.

BACKGROUND: Unlike a manual surgical instrument, a surgical instrument used in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is configured with a wrist to improve flexibility in surgical operation. However, this configuration has a shortcoming that leads to coupled motion between the wrist and end-effector. METHODS: Three methods are presented to eliminate the coupled motion between the wrist and end-effector. The three methods are compared via the decoupled motion characteristic, and the third method is applied to design four surgical instruments. Several experiments are done to validate the effectiveness of these surgical instruments. RESULTS: These improved surgical instruments create decoupled motion. The results of experiments on the removal of gall bladder and kidney are excellent, which validates the effectiveness of decoupled surgical instruments. CONCLUSIONS: Improved surgical instruments without coupled motion are developed and have a promising clinical application in MIS.

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in a Large, Highly Polluted Freshwater Lake, China: Occurrence, Fate, and Risk Assessment.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were extensively investigated in water, sediment, and biota samples collected from Chaohu Lake basin in China. The total concentrations of eight PBDEs (Σ8PBDEs) were in the ranges of 0.11⁻4.48 ng/L, 0.06⁻5.41 ng/g, and 0.02⁻1.50 ng/g dry weight (dw) in the water, sediment, and biota samples, respectively. The concentrations showed wide variations in the monitoring area, while the congener profiles in all the water, sediment, and biota samples were generally characterized by only a few compounds, such as BDE-47, BDE-99, and/or BDE-209. The spatial analysis depicted a decreasing trend of PBDEs from west to east Chaohu Lake, consistent with regional industrialization degree. The distributions of PBDE congeners in the biota samples were similar to the compositional profiles in the water, which were dominated by BDE-47 and/or BDE-99. Nevertheless, BDE-47 and BDE-153 in the brain tissue showed a higher accumulative potential than PBDEs in other tissues as well as the whole body, with 96% relative contribution of Σ8PBDEs. The noncarcinogenic risk values estimated for BDE-47, BDE-99, and BDE-153 indicated that the specific risk associated with the studied water and foodstuffs is limited. However, there is a potential mixture ecotoxicity at three trophic levels at some sampling points in the water, which should draw considerable attention.