Experience Sharing in Pathological Diagnosis of Early Adenocarcinoma of the Lung.

Background: In daily work, there are still many pathologists who have difficulty handling the diagnosis of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, and lepidic adenocarcinoma, and the boundaries are not clear enough. Sometimes, the diagnosis is difficult, and there is sometimes poor reproducibility between different pathologists. Accurate diagnosis and differential diagnosis require a certain amount of experience. Methods: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we collected a large number (n = 381) of specimens of early lung adenocarcinoma, most of which (n = 356) were solitary lesions and 25 were multifocal lesions. There were 78 nodules in multifocal lesions, total 434 nodules. We summarized very careful microscopic observation and comparative analysis on all frozen and paraffin sections collected from many early lung adenocarcinoma specimens, continuously summarizing our experience. Results: Based on the World Health Organization's 2021 classification and diagnostic criteria for lung adenocarcinoma, new perspectives have been proposed on how to distinguish between atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, and lepidic adenocarcinoma. In particular, new perspectives have been proposed on how to identify invasive aspects, and there are also some new perspectives on early lung mucinous lesions. Conclusion: Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, and lepidic adenocarcinoma all have corresponding morphological diagnostic criteria, but the morphological boundaries are sometimes not easy to determine and require some experience accumulation. The intraoperative frozen pathological diagnosis of early adenocarcinoma of the lung needs to be closely combined with imaging examination, and has very rich morphological experience.

The molecular feature of abnormal fetal neuromuscular development after maternal use of telbivudine or tenofovir during pregnancy in rodent model.

AIMS: Maternal treatment with nucleoside analogues such as telbivudine (LdT) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been applied worldwide. However, administration of LdT or TDF during pregnancy may affect the fetal neuromuscular development. We conducted the current study to investigate the histological pathology and transcriptomic changes pertaining to the neuromuscular system of the newborn exposed to LdT or TDF during pregnancy in rodent model. MAIN METHODS: Pregnant C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into three arms and administered either with LdT solution (0.1 ml, 78 mg/kg/d), TDF solution (0.1 ml, 39 mg/kg/d) or normal saline solution (0.1 ml). Pups in each arm were weighed and sacrificed after birth. Both sides of quadriceps femoris muscle of the newborn were obtained. The histological observation was conducted under light microscope. The transcriptional profiling was analyzed with RNA sequencing (RNA seq). KEY FINDINGS: Four types of morphological abnormalities of the newborn neuromuscular system, being clusters of rhabdomyoblasts, skeletal muscle fibrosis, rhabdomyolysis and necrosis and immature muscle fiber bundles, were noted in both LdT group and TDF group. Moreover, both groups showed significantly decreased gross cross-sectional area of muscle fiber and significantly increased percentage of muscle lesion area. RNA seq identified a total of 164 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) essential to fetal neuromuscular development. These DEGs were involved in calcium regulation, phospholipid activity, muscle cell development, the functioning of mitochondria/endoplasmic reticulum/lysosome/cytoskeleton, the regulation of arachidonic acid and the development of nervous system. SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest maternal administration of LdT or TDF lead to abnormal neuromuscular development in offspring mice. Further study should be encouraged to investigate the down-stream signaling pathways.

Indicators and medical tests to identify lower limb swelling causes after total knee arthroplasty: a Delphi study with multidisciplinary experts.

BACKGROUND: Lower limb swelling after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) hinders surgical effectiveness. The poor results of studies on swelling interventions are due to the lack of a classification of swelling causes through appropriate medical tests. A gold standard is missing. This study aimed to clarify the causes of TKA postoperative swelling and how to identify them through indicators and medical tests by consulting a wide range of experts from multiple disciplines. METHOD: The Delphi method was used. A first draft of the index was prepared based on a systematic search of the literature. A total of 11 experts from several disciplines were invited to evaluate the rationality of the indicators and suggest modifications. After two rounds of consultation, the experts reached a consensus, and the consultation was stopped. RESULTS: The response rate of the 11 experts was 100%, and the authoritative Cr was 0.896. Kendall's W values for opinion coordination of the two rounds of consultation were 0.262 and 0.226, respectively (P < 0.001). Among the final indicators, there were 4 primary indicators for swelling cause classification (inflammatory response, poor venous return, joint hematoma, muscle damage, and healing), 19 secondary and 19 tertiary indicators. CONCLUSION: The indications obtained by systematic literature review and multidisciplinary expert consultation are reliable and scientific. Multiple causes of lower extremity swelling after TKA were identified. Blood test indicators can reflect an inflammatory response, suggest poor venous return, and reflect muscle damage and healing progress. Ultrasound scans are needed to identify underlying thrombotic or valvular problems, joint hematomas, and muscle damage. These tests help clinicians and researchers determine the cause of swelling after TKA and take appropriate management.

Microfluidic fluorescent platform for rapid and visual detection of veterinary drugs.

The overuse of veterinary drugs and veterinary drug residues is increasingly becoming an obstacle to sustainable development worldwide. It is therefore imperative to establish a quantitative, sensitive and efficient method for the detection of veterinary drugs. Herein, we developed a visual microfluidic detection platform for rapid and sensitive detection of veterinary drugs using CdTe quantum dots (QDs) with three different ligands as the sensing units. Green-emissive 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-CdTe QDs, yellow-emissive thioglycolic acid (TGA)-CdTe QDs and orange-emissive N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC)-CdTe QDs were synthesized by a sulfhydryl aqueous phase method. These CdTe QDs show selective rapid fluorescence response to pefloxacin (PEF), malachite green (MG), and 1-aminohydantoin hydrochloride (AHD). With the concentration of veterinary drugs increasing, the CdTe QDs reveals a fluorescence color variation from bright to dark until quenched and the response degree of CdTe QDs with different ligands to veterinary drugs is different. Specifically, the limits of detection (LODs) of MPA-CdTe, TGA-CdTe and NAC-CdTe QDs probes for PEF were 7.57 µM, 1.75 µM and 2.90 µM, respectively, and the response was complete in a few seconds, realizing the sensitive and rapid detection of PEF. The three kinds of CdTe QDs could also be used in the detection of other veterinary drugs such as MG and AHD. Finally, a microfluidic detection platform was constructed for visual sensing and rapid detection towards veterinary drugs. The sensor platform holds the advantages of simple operation, low cost, rapid sensing and good sensitivity, and is potentially useful for visual quantitative detection of veterinary drug residues in aquatic products and the environment.

Using scaffolds as drug delivery systems to treat bone tumor.

Surgery is the principal strategy to treat osteosarcoma and other types of bone tumors, but it causes bone defects that cannot be healed spontaneously. After surgery, patients still need to receive radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis, which leads to systemic side effects. Bone scaffolds exhibit the potentials to load cargos (drugs or growth factors) and act as drug delivery systems (DDSs) in the osteosarcoma postoperative treatment. This review introduces current types of bone scaffolds and highlights representative works using scaffolds as DDSs to treat osteosarcomas. Challenges and perspectives in the scaffold-based DDSs are also discussed. This review may provide references to develop effective and safe strategies for osteosarcoma postoperative treatment.

Continuous care needs in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy during the recent omicron wave of COVID-19 in Shanghai: A qualitative study.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the care needs, to clarify the factors affecting the quality of homecare, and to provide reference for constructing a homecare system for patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy during the recent omicron wave of COVID-19 in Shanghai. Methods: From March to May 2022 when the omicron wave emerged in Shanghai, 50 consecutive patients who received chemotherapy at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, were enrolled, and underwent face-to-face or telephone-based semi-structured interviews regarding continuous care needs. Some of their homecare-givers, caring nurses, and physicians were also interviewed. The Colaizzi method was used for data analysis. Results: Fifty patients, 4 homecare-givers, 4 nurses, and 4 physicians were interviewed. Three themes and six subthemes emerged from analysis of the interviews: The first theme was "Disease management needs," including needs for knowledge of managing adverse events associated with chemotherapy, and needs for treatment-related information. Patients expressed most concern about not being able to go to the hospital for blood review and disease evaluation in time due to the outbreak. With the COVID-19 pandemic being ongoing, factors such as pandemic panic, inconvenient medical treatment, and worry about hospital cross-infection might reduce disease management for patients with cancer. The second theme was "Medical needs," including needs for mobile healthcare and needs for medical resources. All interviewees emphasized the importance of mobile healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, as access to hospitals was difficult. The third theme was "Spiritual needs," including demands for psychological counseling and intervention, and needs for spiritual care. Patients and homecare-givers commonly lacked a feeling of security and needed communication, encouragement, and reassurance that medical care could be delivered to them, and patients reported that they very much wanted psychological advice. Conclusion: For patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuous care is greatly needed. Medical personnel should strengthen the healthcare education for patients and their caregivers during hospitalization, and further improve the patients' information intake rate through Internet-based digital healthcare methods during homecare, to further meet the information needs of patients after discharge from hospital.

Emission-tunable probes using terbium(III)-doped self-activated luminescent hydroxyapatite for in vitro bioimaging.

Lanthanide ion (Ln3+)-doped nanoscale hydroxyapatites (nHAp) with tunable luminescence have attracted increasing attention due to their potential applications as useful biomedical tools (e.g., imaging and clinical therapy). In this study, we reported that doping Terbium (III) ions (Tb3+) in self-activated luminescent nHAp via a facile hydrothermal reaction, using trisodium citrate (Cit3-), generates unique emission-tunable probes known as Cit/Tb-nHAp. The morphology, crystal phase, and luminescence properties of these Cit/Tb-nHAp probes are studied in detail. Moreover, the results demonstrate that the luminescence of self-activated nHAp originates from the carbon dots trapped within the nHAp crystals, in which partial energy transfer occurs from carbon dots (CDs) to Tb3+. The color tunability is successfully achieved by regulating the addition of Cit3-. Biocompatibility study indicates that when co-cultured with C6 glioma cells in vitro for 3 days, ≤800 ppm Cit/Tb-nHAp is not cytotoxic for C6 glioma cells. We also present in vitro data showing efficient cytoplasmic localization of transferrin conjugated Cit/Tb-nHAp into C6 glioma cells by fluorescence cell imaging. We have successfully engineered Cit/Tb-nHAp, a promising biocompatible agent for future in vitro and in vivo fluorescence bioimaging.

Large-Scale Fabrication of Robust Artificial Skins from a Biodegradable Sealant-Loaded Nanofiber Scaffold to Skin Tissue via Microfluidic Blow-Spinning.

Given that many people suffer from large-area skin damage, skin regeneration is a matter of high concern. Here, an available method is developed for the formation of large-area robust skins through three stages: fabrication of a biodegradable sealant-loaded nanofiber scaffold (SNS), skin tissue reconstruction, and skin regeneration. First, a microfluidic blow-spinning strategy is proposed to fabricate a large-scale nanofiber scaffold with an area of 140 cm × 40 cm, composed of fibrinogen-loaded polycaprolactone/silk fibroin (PCL/SF) ultrafine core-shell nanofibers with mean diameter of 65 nm. Then, the SNS forms, where the gelling reaction of fibrin sealant occurs in situ between thrombin and fibrinogen on PCL/SF nanofiber surface, to promote the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts, accelerating skin regeneration. Through an in vivo study, it is shown that the SNS can rapidly repair acute tissue damage such as vascular bleeding and hepatic hemorrhage, and also promote angiogenesis, large-area abdominal wall defect repair, and wound tissue regeneration for medical problems in the world. Besides, it avoids the risk of immune rejection and secondary surgery in clinical applications. This strategy offers a facile route to regenerate large-scale robust skin, which shows great potential in abdominal wall defect repair.

The Recombinant Protein EphB4-Fc Changes the Ti Particle-Mediated Imbalance of OPG/RANKL via EphrinB2/EphB4 Signaling Pathway and Inhibits the Release of Proinflammatory Factors In Vivo.

Aseptic loosening caused by wear particles is one of the common complications after total hip arthroplasty. We investigated the effect of the recombinant protein ephB4-Fc (erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular receptor 4) on wear particle-mediated inflammatory response. In vitro, ephrinB2 expression was analyzed using siRNA-NFATc1 (nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1) and siRNA-c-Fos. Additionally, we used Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, bone pit resorption, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), as well as ephrinB2 overexpression and knockdown experiments to verify the effect of ephB4-Fc on osteoclast differentiation and function. In vivo, a mouse skull model was constructed to test whether the ephB4-Fc inhibits osteolysis and inhibits inflammation by micro-CT, H&E staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The gene expression of ephrinB2 was regulated by c-Fos/NFATc1. Titanium wear particles activated this signaling pathway to the promoted expression of the ephrinB2 gene. However, ephrinB2 protein can be activated by osteoblast membrane receptor ephB4 to inhibit osteoclast differentiation. In in vivo experiments, we found that ephB4 could regulate Ti particle-mediated imbalance of OPG/RANKL, and the most important finding was that ephB4 relieved the release of proinflammatory factors. The ephB4-Fc inhibits wear particle-mediated osteolysis and inflammatory response through the ephrinB2/EphB4 bidirectional signaling pathway, and ephrinB2 ligand is expected to become a new clinical drug therapeutic target.

LINC00240 promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and EMT via the miR-124-3p / DNMT3B axis.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of prevalent causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Long noncoding RNA is related to various cancers. Our study was conducted to explore the biological effects of LINC00240 on the tumorigenesis of GC and uncover its possible mechanisms. LINC00240 expression was determined in GC cell lines and samples through quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The functional effects of LINC00240 were validated using in vitro and in vivo assays. Targets were assessed by AGO2-dependent RNA immunoprecipitation assay and dual-luciferase report assays. Our findings suggested higher LINC00240 expression in GC tissues and cells. Through downregulating LINC00240, cell proliferation, invasion and migration were retarded in vitro, and tumorigenesis of GC cells was notably suppressed in vivo. Further research showed that LINC00240 was a cytoplasmic lncRNA that shared miRNA response elements of microRNA (miR)-124-3p with DNMT3B, thus forming a LINC00240/miR-124-3p/DNMT3B axis explaining the functions of LINC00240. In a word, our study reveals that LINC00240 promotes GC tumorigenesis via a LINC00240/miR-124-3p/DNMT3B axis as an oncogene. These findings objectivise that LINC00240 may be a potential diagnostic biomarker for GC. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death across the world. Then we analysed lncRNA microarray of GC and selected LINC00240 as the study object. Therefore, the potential molecular mechanism as well as physiological function of LINC00240 in GC was discussed. Then we reveal that LINC00240 acts as an oncogene in GC progression via the miR-99a-5p/IGF1R axis. This study is the first to demonstrate the roles of LINC00240 in GC.

METTL3 regulates the malignancy of cervical cancer via post-transcriptional regulation of RAB2B.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. While molecular mechanisms of initiation and cervical carcinogenesis are not well studied. Our data showed that the expression of Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) was upregulated in cervical tumor tissues as compared with normal tissues. Its expression was associated with poor prognosis of cervical cancer. Knockdown of METTL3 can suppress the proliferation of cervical cancer cells. The expression of METTL3 was significantly correlated with the expression of RAB2B, one member of RAS oncogene family. Over expression of RAB2B can significantly attenuate sh-METTL3-suppressed cell proliferation. Mechanistically, METTL3 can increase the mRNA stability of RAB2B via an IGF2BP3-dependent manner. Collectively, METTL3 can trigger growth of cervical cancer cells via upregulation of RAB2B. It indicated that METTL3 might be a potential target for cervical cancer therapy.

Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and HER2 Receptor Markers in Endometrial Cancer.

Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is a major gynecologic adenocarcinoma that arises from the endometrium. While the incidence of EC is on the rise worldwide, survivorship and clinical advancement have considerably lagged compared to other cancers. Given the sensitive nature of the endometrium and its high expression of hormone receptors, hormonal therapy has become a favorable alternative treatment compared to highly toxic chemotherapeutics and radiation therapy. Methods: Clinical samples from patients diagnosed with EC were obtained. ER and PR staining were performed according to the S-P kit, and HER2 staining was carried out according to the UltrasensitiveTM S-P immunohistochemistry kit protocol. Chi-square analysis was conducted using the SPSS. P-values of less than 0.05 were taken as an a priori value for statistical significance. Results: Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis showed the overall positive expression rates of ER, PR, and HER2 to be 59.8%, 75.0%, and 71.1%, respectively. Significant co-expression was found among all three receptors, suggesting a cooperative, synergistic effect. More importantly, we found that ER expression was correlated with FIGO staging and cervical invasion, whereas PR expression was associated with histologic type. No clinicopathologic features were correlated with HER2 expression, but HER2 positivity was inversely associated with the degree of HER2 overexpression. Conclusions: These results suggest that EC is a heterogeneous disease that may not conform to traditional, prototypically defined subtypes. The status of ER, PR, and HER2 receptors may have the potential to serve as prognostic indicators for EC, but further analysis is needed to ascertain their prognostic significance.

Synthesis and formation mechanism of bone mineral, whitlockite nanocrystals in tri-solvent system.

Whitlockite (WH, Ca18Mg2(HPO4)2(PO4)12) is the second most abundant bone mineral and has attracted attention as one of the novel bone regenerative materials. It has proven to enhance growth and promote osteogenesis of stem cells. However, investigating the mechanism of formation of pure phase WH nanocrystals remains a challenge. In this study, we introduced an interesting synthesis approach of WH nanocrystals using a tri-solvent system for the solid-liquid-solution (SLS) process. The ratio of precursor and reaction solvent composition was optimized to generate WH nanocrystals with tunable size, morphology (nanoplates, nanospheres), and surface properties (hydrophobic, hydrophilic), which is impossible to achieve using the traditional precipitation method. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the growth direction of nanoplates is highly related to the surfactant and its binding affinity. Finite element method (FEM) simulations elucidated that the ratio of ethanol/water plays an important role in defining the crystallinity and morphology of WH. In this study, we demonstrated that the cell proliferation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) is enhanced upon treatment with WH. The results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed that WH can positively accelerate the osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs. The as-synthesized WH has a great potential in the future to be used in osteogenic tissue engineering. This study opens a new horizon for the synthesis and application of WH.

Au nanozyme-driven antioxidation for preventing frailty.

From senescence and frailty that may result from various biological, mechanical, nutritional, and metabolic processes, the human body has its own antioxidant defense enzymes to remove by-products of oxygen metabolism, and if unregulated, can cause several types of cell damage. Herein, an antioxidant, artificial nanoscale enzyme, called nanozyme (NZs), is introduced that is composed of Au nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized with a mixture of two representative phytochemicals, namely, gallic acid (GA) and isoflavone (IF), referred to as GI-Au NZs. Their unique antioxidant and anti-aging effects are monitored using Cell Counting Kit-8 and senescence-associated ß-galactosidase assays on neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (nHDFs). Furthermore, alterations in epidermal thickness and SOD activity are measured under ultraviolet light to investigate the effects of the topical application of NZs on the histological structure and antioxidant activity in hairless mice skin. Then, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in the hairless mice are monitored. It is concluded that the NZs can effectively prevent serial passage-induced senescence in nHDFs, as well as oxidative stress in mice skin, suggesting a range of strategies to further develop novel therapeutics for acute frailty.

Cord blood Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, placental steroidogenic enzyme, and cord blood reproductive hormone.

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used in China, but little is known about the association between prenatal PFASs exposure and fetal reproductive development as well as its potential mechanism. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of cord blood PFASs on fetal reproductive hormones and its potential mechanism in relation to steroidogenic enzymes. METHODS: Ten selected PFASs (n = 351) including PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFDA, PFDoA, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOSA, and PFUA, and two reproductive hormones estradiol (E2) (n = 351) and testosterone (T) (n = 349) were measured in 351 cord blood serum samples from a Chinese birth cohort between 2010 and 2013. Three steroidogenic enzymes including P450arom (n = 125), 3ß-HSD1 (n = 123), and 17ß-HSD1 (n = 116) were measured in 125 placental tissue samples. Linear regression tested the associations between cord blood PFASs and reproductive hormones in cord blood. Mediation analysis assessed the role of placental steroidogenic enzymes between cord blood PFASs and reproductive hormones. RESULTS: The positive associations between PFOA, PFHxS and E2 levels, PFOS, PFUA, PFNA and T levels, and PFOS, PFUA and T/E2 ratio were significant. PFUA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS, and ∑PFASs were associated with higher P450arom levels. PFHxS was also associated with increased 3ß-HSD1 and 17ß-HSD1 levels. These associations were more pronounced in females than males when stratified by gender. Furthermore, 17ß-HSD1 demonstrated mediating effects in the positive association between cord blood PFHxS and E2 levels in females. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested the potential impacts of cord blood PFASs on fetal reproductive hormones, in which steroidogenic enzymes may play important roles. These associations were more pronounced in females than males.

Biological and RNA regulatory function of MOV10 in mammalian germ cells.

BACKGROUND: RNA regulation by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involve extremely complicated mechanisms. MOV10 and MOV10L1 are two homologous RNA helicases implicated in distinct intracellular pathways. MOV10L1 participates specifically in Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) biogenesis and protects mouse male fertility. In contrast, the functional complexity of MOV10 remains incompletely understood, and its role in the mammalian germline is unknown. Here, we report a study of the biological and molecular functions of the RNA helicase MOV10 in mammalian male germ cells. RESULTS: MOV10 is a nucleocytoplasmic protein mainly expressed in spermatogonia. Knockdown and transplantation experiments show that MOV10 deficiency has a negative effect on spermatogonial progenitor cells (SPCs), limiting proliferation and in vivo repopulation capacity. This effect is concurrent with a global disturbance of RNA homeostasis and downregulation of factors critical for SPC proliferation and/or self-renewal. Unexpectedly, microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis is impaired due partially to decrease of miRNA primary transcript levels and/or retention of miRNA via splicing control. Genome-wide analysis of RNA targetome reveals that MOV10 binds preferentially to mRNAs with long 3'-UTR and also interacts with various non-coding RNA species including those in the nucleus. Intriguingly, nuclear MOV10 associates with an array of splicing factors, particularly with SRSF1, and its intronic binding sites tend to reside in proximity to splice sites. CONCLUSIONS: These data expand the landscape of MOV10 function and highlight a previously unidentified role initiated from the nucleus, suggesting that MOV10 is a versatile RBP involved in a broader RNA regulatory network.

Host-guest supramolecular assembly directing beta-cyclodextrin based nanocrystals towards their robust performances.

Fluorescent CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) capped with beta-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) are successfully synthesized by host-guest supramolecular assembly of the hydrophobic alkyl chains of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) on the surface of CdTe NCs and eco-friendly ß-CD via the promising simple hydrothermal method in our experiments. The as-prepared NCs display better stability and lower toxicity compared with traditional those only capped with NAC. Specially, cytotoxicity experiments to human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro and zebrafish embryo toxicological tests in vivo are performed to determine the toxicity of CdTe NCs. For their practical applications, the promising red-luminescent NCs are employed as stable and low poison red phosphors to fabricate white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) with remarkable color-rendering index (CRI) being 91.6. This research offers significance for solving the difficulty in toxicity and instability of heavy metal based NCs, which has potential applications in future optoelectronic devices and biomarkers.

Impacts of prenatal triclosan exposure on fetal reproductive hormones and its potential mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Triclosan (TCS) has been widely detected in pregnant women. The reproductive endocrine-disrupting effects of TCS have been observed in humans and animals. Little is known about the potential impact of prenatal TCS exposure on fetal reproductive development as well as its potential mechanism. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the potential effect of prenatal TCS exposure on fetal reproductive hormones in cord blood and its potential mechanism in relation to placental steroidogenic enzymes. METHODS: Urinary TCS was detected among 537 healthy pregnant women from a prospective cohort in China. Four reproductive hormones in cord blood, namely E2 (n=430), T (n=424), LH (n=428) and FSH (n=373), and three steroidogenic enzymes in placenta, namely P450arom (n=233), 3ß-HSD (n=227) and 17ß-HSD (n=222), were measured. RESULTS: Prenatal TCS exposure was associated with increased testosterone concentrations in cord blood in a dose-dependent manner. Infants with prenatal TCS levels >0.6µg/L had, on average, a 0.23ng/mL (95% CI: 0.05, 0.45, p=0.02) higher testosterone concentrations in cord blood compared to those with prenatal TCS levels <0.1µg/L. Of note, prenatal TCS exposure was associated with increased testosterone and decreased E2 concentrations in cord blood among male infants. Adverse associations were found between the prenatal TCS exposure and concentrations of three placental steroidogenic enzymes. 3ß-HSD and P450arom demonstrated mediating effects in the association between prenatal TCS exposure and testosterone concentrations in cord blood. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested potential impacts of prenatal TCS exposure on reproductive hormones in cord blood mediated by steroidogenic enzymes, and male infants were more vulnerable.

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and childhood neurodevelopment in Shandong, China.

BACKGROUND: Although studies in laboratory animals demonstrate neurodevelopmental deficits caused by prenatal or postnatal organophosphate pesticide (OP) exposure, there is limited evidence on effects induced by not only prenatal but also postnatal exposure of children to OPs. METHODS: We measured diethylphosphate (DE), dimethylphosphate (DM), and total dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites in maternal and child urine at 12 and 24months of age and examined their relationship with developmental quotients (DQs) in 12-month-old infants and 24-month-old children in Shandong, China. RESULTS: The median concentrations of total DAP metabolites (DAPs) in child urine [371.97nmol/g creatinine (12-month-old infants), 538.64nmol/g creatinine (24-month-old children)] were higher than those in maternal urine (352.67nmol/g creatinine). Prenatal OP exposure was negatively associated with 24-month-old children's DQs, especially among boys. A 10-fold increase in prenatal DEs and DAPs was associated with a 2.59- and 2.49-point decrease in social domain DQ scores in 24-month-old children (n=262), respectively. However, positive association of postnatal exposure to OPs and 24-month-old children's DQs was observed (n=237). Neither prenatal nor postnatal exposure to OPs was related to 12-month-old infants' DQs. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that prenatal OP exposure could adversely affect children's neurodevelopment at 24months of age, especially among boys. The prenatal period might be a critical window of OP exposure. In view of the positive association with postnatal OP exposure, it is necessary to interpret findings with caution.

In vivo feasibility test using transparent carbon nanotube-coated polydimethylsiloxane sheet at brain tissue and sciatic nerve.

Carbon nanotubes, with their unique and outstanding properties, such as strong mechanical strength and high electrical conductivity, have become very popular for the repair of tissues, particularly for those requiring electrical stimuli. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based elastomers have been used in a wide range of biomedical applications because of their optical transparency, physiological inertness, blood compatibility, non-toxicity, and gas permeability. In present study, most of artificial nerve guidance conduits (ANGCs) are not transparent. It is hard to confirm the position of two stumps of damaged nerve during nerve surgery and the conduits must be cut open again to observe regenerative nerves after surgery. Thus, a novel preparation method was utilized to produce a transparent sheet using PDMS and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) via printing transfer method. Characterization of the PDMS/MWNT (PM) sheets revealed their unique physicochemical properties, such as superior mechanical strength, a certain degree of electrical conductivity, and high transparency. Characterization of the in vitro and in vivo usability was evaluated. PM sheets showed high biocompatibility and adhesive ability. In vivo feasibility tests of rat brain tissue and sciatic nerve revealed the high transparency of PM sheets, suggesting that it can be used in the further development of ANGCs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1736-1745, 2017.