Reduced toxic effects of nano­copper sulfate in comparison of bulk CuSO4 on biochemical parameters in the Rohu (Labeo rohita).

Considering the wide application of nanoparticles in various fields of life and growing concern regarding their toxic effects, the present study was designed with the aim to evaluate the potential risks of using copper sulfate nanoparticles (CuSO4-NPs) in comparison to bulk form. Nanoparticles of CuSO4, having mean size of 73 nm were prepared by ball milling method, and fingerlings of Labeo rohita were exposed to two levels, 20 and 100 µg L-1 of CuSO4 in both bulk and nano forms for 28 days and their comparative effects on the metallothioneins (MTs), heat shock proteins 70 (HSP 70), lipid profile, cholesterol (CHOL) and triglyceraldehyde (TG) levels, activities of some metabolic enzymes Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST) Akaline phosphatase (ALP), and genes expressions of HSP-70, TNF-α and IL1-ß were investigated. CuSO4 showed the concentration and particle type dependent effects. The over expression of HSPs and MTs, significant decreases in CHOL, TG, low density lipid (LDL) levels and ALP activity, while significant increases in high density lipid (HDL)level as well as ALT and AST activities and HSP-70, TNF-α and IL1-ß expressions were observed in response to higher concentration of both bulk and nano form of copper sulfate. At lower concentration (20 µg L-1), however, only bulk form showed toxicity. Thus, low concentrations of CuSO4-NPs pose negligible threat to freshwater fish.

Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on mussel: Leveraging biochemical parameters and gut microbiota.

Antibiotics and nanoplastics (NPs) are among the two most concerned and studied marine emerging contaminants in recent years. Given the large number of different types of antibiotics and NPs, there is a need to apply efficient tools to evaluate their combined toxic effects. Using the thick-shelled mussel (Mytilus coruscus) as a marine ecotoxicological model, we applied a battery of fast enzymatic activity assays and 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the biochemical and gut microbial response of mussels exposed to antibiotic norfloxacin (NOR) and NPs (80 nm polystyrene beads) alone and in combination at environmentally relevant concentrations. After 15 days of exposure, NPs alone significantly inhibited superoxide dismutase (SOD) and amylase (AMS) activities, while catalase (CAT) was affected by both NOR and NPs. The changes in lysozyme (LZM) and lipase (LPS) were increased over time during the treatments. Co-exposure to NPs and NOR significantly affected glutathione (GSH) and trypsin (Typ), which might be explained by the increased bioavailable NOR carried by NPs. The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota of mussels were both decreased by exposures to NOR and NPs, and the top functions of gut microbiota that were affected by the exposures were predicted. The data fast generated by enzymatic test and 16S sequencing allowed further variance and correlation analysis to understand the plausible driving factors and toxicity mechanisms. Despite the toxic effects of only one type of antibiotics and NPs being evaluated, the validated assays on mussels are readily applicable to other antibiotics, NPs, and their mixture.

Clinical application of PEAK PlasmaBlade to remove distal tracheal granulation in patients after tracheostomy.

OBJECTIVE: Tracheal granulation is one of the common long term complications in patients after tracheostomy. Hypertrophic tracheal granulation may cause airway obstruction and further operation may be required to recreate an airway. Distal tracheal granulation is clinically challenging because of its position and surgical field limitation. This retrospective case review study evaluated the outcomes of PEAK PlasmaBlade-assisted tracheal surgery in patients with distal tracheal granulation. METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed patients with distal tracheal granulation following long-term tracheostomy. All patients received PEAK PlasmaBlade assistance tracheal surgery (PATS) between February 2013 and December 2019. The surgery was performed using the PEAK PlasmaBlade with TnA type tip, powered by a PULSAR Generator, and guided by a 45 ° rigid endoscope. Patients were regularly followed up for a minimum of 12 months. RESULTS: A total 21 patients had completed PATS. None of the patients experience immediate life-threatening complications during or after the procedure. All the 21 patients were free of recurrent obstructive granulation within 12 months after operation. CONCLUSION: PATS is practical, effective, and safe for distal tracheal granulation and can be performed by single surgeon. Furthermore, it is technically less demanding than other surgical approaches and it has a rapid learning curve.

Effects of Microplastics on Immune Responses of the Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco Under Hypoxia.

Compared with marine organisms, research on microplastics (MPs) in freshwater organisms is still less although MPs have been widely found in the freshwater ecosystem. Hypoxia is a ubiquitous issue in freshwater aquaculture, and under such scenarios, the toxic effects of MPs on typical aquaculture fish need to be clarified. In this study, we studied the effects of MPs (polystyrene) on specific growth rate (SGR), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and interferon (IFN) in the yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) under hypoxic conditions. After 15 days of exposure, the SGR was not affected by MPs or hypoxia. MPs significantly increased the expressions of HIF-1α and TNF-α but inhibited the expression of IFN at high concentration MPs under normoxia. However, hypoxia significantly inhibited the expression of IL-8 and TNF-α under high MP concentration and low MP concentration, respectively. In addition, MPs had significant concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on IFN under hypoxia. Surprisingly, a positive correction between HIF-1α and TNF-α was found in fish. Although hypoxia might alleviate the effects of MPs with low concentrations, the interaction of hypoxia and MPs aggravated the negative effects of MPs on immune factors at high concentration MPs. This study provided new insight into the complex effects of hypoxia and MPs on aquatic organisms, and future studies should focus on the cellular pathways of immune cells in fish. Given that MPs could induce the immune response in fish, considerations should be paid to the impacts of MPs on freshwater aquaculture, and hypoxia should be taken into consideration when evaluating the effects of MPs.