Avoiding the needle: A quality improvement program introducing apixaban for extended thromboprophylaxis after major gynecologic cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing gynecologic cancer surgery at our centre are recommended up to 28 days of enoxaparin for extended post-operative thromboprophylaxis (EP). Baseline survey revealed 92% patient adherence, but highlighted negative effects on patient experience due to the injectable route of administration. We aimed to improve patient experience by reducing pain and bruising by 50%, increasing adherence by 5%, and reducing out-of-pocket cost after introducing apixaban as an oral alternative for EP. METHODS: In this interrupted time series quality improvement study, gynecologic cancer patients were offered a choice between apixaban (2.5 mg orally twice daily) or enoxaparin (40 mg subcutaneously once daily) at time of discharge. A multidisciplinary team informed project design, implementation, and evaluation. Process interventions included standardized orders, patient and care team education programs. Telephone survey at 1 and 6 weeks and chart audit informed outcome, process, and balancing measures. RESULTS: From August to October 2022, 127 consecutive patients were included. Apixaban was chosen by 84%. Survey response rate was 74%. Patients who chose apixaban reported significantly reduced pain, bruising, increased confidence with administration, and less negative impact of the medication (p < 0.0001 for all). Adherence was unchanged (92%). The proportion of patients paying less than $125 (apixaban cost threshold) increased from 45% to 91%. There was no difference in bleeding and no VTE events. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of apixaban for EP was associated with significant improvement in patient-reported quality measures and reduced financial toxicity with no effect on adherence or balancing measures. Apixaban is the preferred anticoagulant for EP at our centre.

Clinical, neuroimaging, and behavioural risk factors for neurocognitive impairment in Chinese patients with haemophilia: A multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the impact of subclinical microstructural changes and psychosocial factors on cognitive function in patients with haemophilia. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of cognitive impairment in patients with haemophilia, and identify associated risk factors. METHODS: We recruited haemophilia A or B patients who were aged ≥10 years old from three public hospitals in Hong Kong. A neurocognitive battery was administered to evaluate their attention, memory, processing speed and cognitive flexibility performances. They also underwent magnetic resonance imaging to identify cerebral microbleeds. Validated self-reported questionnaires were administered to assess their mental health status and adherence to prophylactic treatment. General linear modelling was used to investigate the association of neurocognitive outcomes with risks factors, adjusting for age and education attainment. RESULTS: Forty-two patients were recruited (median age 32.0 years; 78.6% haemophilia A; 80.9% moderate-to-severe disease). Six patients (14.3%) had developed cerebral microbleeds. A subgroup of patients demonstrated impairments in cognitive flexibility (30.9%) and motor processing speed (26.2%). Hemarthrosis in the previous year was associated with worse attention (Estimate = 7.62, 95% CI: 1.92-15.33; p = .049) and cognitive flexibility (Estimate = 8.64, 95% CI: 2.52-13.29; p = .043). Depressive (Estimate = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.10-0.55; p = .023) and anxiety (Estimate = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.19-0.41; p = .0069) symptoms were associated with inattentiveness. Among patients receiving prophylactic treatment (71.4%), medication adherence was positively correlated with cognitive flexibility (p = .037). CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of patients with haemophilia demonstrated cognitive impairment, particularly higher-order thinking skills. Screening for cognitive deficits should be incorporated into routine care. Future studies should evaluate the association of neurocognitive outcomes with occupational/vocational outcomes.

Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (DSS) induced enteritis in Orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides.

The enteritis is a common disease in fish farming, but the pathogenesis is still not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inducement of Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt (DSS) intestinal inflammation on Orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). The fish were challenged with 200 µl 3% DSS via oral irrigation and feeding, an appropriate dose based on the disease activity index of inflammation. The results indicated that the inflammatory responses induced by DSS were closely associated with the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-8, IL16, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), as well as NF-κB and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. At day5 after DSS treatment, the highest levels of all parameters were observed. Also, the severe intestinal lesions (intestinal villus fusion and shedding), strong inflammatory cell infiltration and microvillus effacement were seen through histological examination and SEM (scanning electronic microscopy) analysis. During the subsequent 18 days of the experimental period, the injured intestinal villi were gradually recovery. These data is beneficial to further investigate the pathogenesis of enteritis in farmed fish, which is helpful for the control of enteritis in aquaculture.

Functional characterization of a grouper nklysin with antibacterial and antiviral activity.

Natural killer lysin (Nklysin) is a small molecule antimicrobial peptide produced by natural killer cells and T lymphocytes and widely expressed in vertebrates. Homologues of Nklysin have been found in several fish, but only several of biological activity was identified. In this study, we characterized a Nklysin from grouper (Epinephelus coioides), and explored its expression pattern and biological function in bacterial infection. We also investigated the role of Nklysin in viral replication and maturation. The nklysin gene of grouper encodes a 169 amino acid, sharing 92.90% identity to H. septemfasciatus NKlysin protein, containing a saposin B domain and six well-conserved cysteine residues that necessary for antimicrobial activity by forming three intrachain disulfide bonds. Analysis of qRT-PCR revealed that nklysin gene widely expressed in all tested tissues with the higher expressions in spleen. After bacterial challenge, the nklysin gene expression significantly varied in different tissues. In addition, a large-scale of the recombinant Nklysin protein was secreted in Pichia pastoris strain GS115. The MIC assay showed that the Nklysin protein directly inhibited growth of several pathogens, including Proteus mirabilis, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei and Streptococcus agalactiae. Further analysis showed the Nklysin protein over-expression might prevent viral genes transcriptions and replication in FHM cells. Our findings suggested that the Nklysin of grouper might be a potential agent for antibacterial and antiviral infection in the future.

Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride causes hyperactivity in zebrafish via modulation of the serotonin pathway.

This study aimed to explore behavioral changes of embryonic and larval zebrafish caused by pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (PSE) and its underlying mechanism. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0.5 µM, 2 µM, and 8 µM PSE at 4 h post-fertilization (4 hpf) or 22-23 hpf. Mortality, hatching rate, coiling frequency, heart rate, behavior changes, and related gene expression were observed at different developmental stages. PSE below 8 µM did not affect zebrafish mortality, hatching rate, and heart rate compared with the control group. For embryos, PSE caused an increase at 16-32 hpf in zebrafish coiling frequency which could be rescued by serotonin antagonist WAY100635. Similarly, PSE caused an increase in the swimming distance of zebrafish larvae at 120 hpf. PSE also elevated the expression of serotonin (5-HT)-related genes 5-htr1ab and tph2 and dopamine-related gene dbh. Behavioral changes in zebrafish embryos and larvae caused by PSE may be closely associated with increased expression of 5-HT and dopamine-related genes. This may be reflected that the behavioral changes in zebrafish are a possible PSE monitoring indicator.

Effects of ferulic acid on muscle development and intestinal microbiota of zebrafish.

Ferulic acid (FA) is one of a common ingredients in Chinese herbal medicine. FA has the interesting property of promoting growth and improving meat quality in livestock, but the mechanism is not understood. This study evaluated both safety and mechanism of efficacy in zebrafish model. At 15 µg/mL or above, FA led to pericardial oedema and delayed growth in zebrafish embryos. Dietary FA promoted growth and feed assimilation in male adult zebrafish. Genes related to myogenic development (myod1, myog and myf5) were significantly upregulated by FA and muscle fibre width in skeletal muscle was increased. At 20 µg/g, FA significantly increased number of goblet cells in zebrafish intestinal tissue, and gut microbiota composition also changed. Based on 16s rRNA gene sequences, 20 µg/g FA decreased Firmicutes and increased Bacteroides. 20 µg/g FA also stimulated the expression of PPAR-α, a gene associated with fat metabolism, and decreased the expression of PPAR-ß and PPAR-γ. These gene expression changes were beneficial to fatty acid synthesis and metabolism and decreased fat deposition. Our overall results indicated that FA can be a safe growth promotor in fish particularly in skeletal muscles.

Conservation of structural and interactional features of CD226 and Necl5 molecules from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

CD226 interacts with its ligand Necl5 as a costimulatory signal. In this study, we cloned a CD226 from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, named OnCD226) and a Necl5 (named OnNecl5). The open reading frame of OnCD226 was 1071 bp, encoding a protein of 356 amino acids. Sequence alignment analysis indicated that OnCD226 contained two Ig-like domains in ectodomain. The open reading frame of OnNecl5 was 1155 bp, encoding a protein of 384 amino acids, and there are three lg-like domains in the extracellular domain. In healthy tilapia, OnCD226 was distributed in all tested tissues and relatively higher in the brain, while OnNecl5 was relatively higher in the skin. After Streptococcus agalactiae infection, OnCD226 has the same up-regulated expression pattern as OnNecl5 in different tissues. After HKLs stimulation with S. agalactiae and Poly I:C, respectively. OnCD226 was significantly up-regulated (0.01 < p < 0.05) at 12 h and extremely significant up-regulation was observed (p < 0.01) at 48 h and 96 h, the peak was observed at 96 h after stimulation by S. agalactiae. After stimulation by Poly I:C, OnCD226 expression was extremely significant (p < 0.01) at 72 h and 96 h, the peak was observed at 96 h. After stimulation by Keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), a classical T cell-dependent antigen, the expression of OnCD226 was significantly up-regulated in blood, head kidney, spleen, and thymus. Moreover, when compared with the first challenge, the gene expression of OnCD226 which response to the second challenge was up-regulated earlier. Subcellular co-localization studies showed that OnCD226 and OnNecl5 were distributed mainly in the cytomembrane. Yeast two-hybrid results, indicated a strong interaction between OnCD226 and OnNecl5. These results suggested that OnCD226 plays an important role during pathogens infection, and the interaction between CD226 and Necl5 is conserved in Nile tilapia.

Tilapia dsRNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR): An interferon-induced antiviral effector with translation inhibition activity.

The dsRNA-activated protein kinase R (PKR) is one of key antiviral effectors induced by interferons (IFNs), and its functions are largely unknown in tilapia, an important commercial fish species suffering from several viral infectious diseases. In the present study, a PKR gene named On-PKR was identified and cloned from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. On-PKR gene was constitutively expressed in all tissues examined, with the highest expression level observed in head kidney and liver, and was rapidly induced in all organs/tissues tested following the stimulation of poly(I:C). Importantly, the expression of On-PKR is induced by group I and group II IFNs with distinct induction kinetics in vivo: group I IFN elicits a relative delayed but sustained induction of On-PKR, whereas group II IFN triggers a rapid and transient expression of On-PKR. Moreover, the overexpression of On-PKR has been proven to inhibit the protein translation and virus replication in fish cells. The present study thus contributes to a better understanding of the functions of antiviral effectors in tilapia, and may provide clues for the prevention and therapy of viral diseases in fish.

Aconitine disrupts serotonin neurotransmission via 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor in zebrafish embryo.

Medicinal plants of the genus Aconitum are one of the most commonly used herbs in traditional medicine in East Asia to treat conditions related to the heart, pain, or inflammation. However, these herbs are also dangerous as accidental poisoning due to misuse is a recurring issue. These plants contain a number of diester-diterpenoid alkaloid compounds and aconitine is the most abundant and active one. This study investigated neurotoxicity of aconitine to zebrafish embryos in early development in relation to serotonin regulation. Experimental results showed that aconitine exposure (1, 10, and 100 µM) increased frequency of coiling behavior in zebrafish embryos in a dose-dependent manner and this effect can be triggered by either exposure to 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) receptor agonist (±)-8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) or overexpression of serotonin receptor 5-htr1ab. At the same time, coiling behavior caused by aconitine exposure could be rescued by co-exposure to 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 Maleate (WAY100635) and knockdown of 5-htr1ab using morpholino. Exposure to aconitine also significantly increased serotonin receptor 5-htr1ab and 5-htr1bd gene expression at 24 h post fertilization (hpf), but decreased their expression and protein expression of the serotonin receptor at 96 hpf with the high dose. These results suggest that neurotoxicity caused by aconitine is mediated through the 5-HT receptor.

Competition for mates and the improvement of nonsexual fitness.

Competition for mates can be a major source of selection, not just on secondary sexual traits but across the genome. Mate competition strengthens selection on males via sexual selection, which typically favors healthy, vigorous individuals and, thus, all genetic variants that increase overall quality. However, recent studies suggest another major effect of mate competition that could influence genome-wide selection: Sexual harassment by males can drastically weaken selection on quality in females. Because of these conflicting effects, the net effect of mate competition is uncertain, although perhaps not entirely unpredictable. We propose that the environment in which mate competition occurs mediates the importance of sexual selection relative to sexual conflict and, hence, the net effect of mate competition on nonsexual fitness. To test this, we performed experimental evolution with 63 fruit fly populations adapting to novel larval conditions where each population was maintained with or without mate competition. In half the populations with mate competition, adults interacted in simple, high-density environments. In the remainder, adults interacted in more spatially complex environments in which male-induced harm is reduced. Populations evolving with mate competition in the complex environment adapted faster to novel larval environments than did populations evolving without mate competition or with mate competition in the simple environment. Moreover, mate competition in the complex environment caused a substantial reduction in inbreeding depression for egg-to-adult viability relative to the other two mating treatments. These results demonstrate that the mating environment has a substantial and predictable effect on nonsexual fitness through adaptation and purging.

Unique duplication of IFNh genes in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reveals lineage-specific evolution of IFNh in perciform fishes.

Fish appear to harbour a complex type I IFN repertoire containing subgroups a, b, c, d, e, f, and h, and IFNh is only reported in perciform fishes. However, no multiple copies of IFNh gene has been identified in fish to date. In this study, two IFNh genes named On-IFNh1 and On-IFNh2 were cloned from Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The predicted proteins of On-IFNh1 and On-IFNh2 contain several structural features known in type I IFNs, and estimation of divergence time revealed that these two genes may have arisen from a much recent local duplication event. On-IFNh genes were constitutively expressed in all tissues examined, with the highest expression level observed in gill, and were rapidly induced in all organs/tissues tested following the stimulation of poly(I:C). In addition, both recombinant On-IFNh1 and On-IFNh2 trigger a relative delayed but sustained induction of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), whereas recombinant On-IFNc elicits a rapid and transient expression of ISGs in vivo. The present study thus contributes to a better understanding of the functional properties of tilapia interferons, and also provides a new insight into the evolution of IFNh in fish.

Molecular characterization and expression of CD48 in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in response to different stimulus.

CD48 is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein involved in lymphocyte adhesion, activation, and costimulation. In this study, the CD48 gene of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, named On-CD48), was cloned from the head kidney of tilapia. The coding sequences is 654 bp and encoding 217 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of On-CD48 with an estimated molecular weight of 24.4 kDa and a theoretical pI of 5.03. Amino acid alignment indicated that it had two immunoglobulin-like domain conserved region. In healthy tilapia, the On-CD48 could be detected in all the examined tissues and the highest expression level in the spleen. The expression of On-CD48 in the spleen and head kidney was decreased after immunized by formalin-inactivated Streptococcus agalactiae, and the peak was observed in the spleen at 24 h and appeared again at 96 h, and in the head kidney gradual decline before 48 h then gradually increased to the original level. qPCR analysis of inactivated S. agalactiae, LPS and Poly I:C stimulated at the whole lymphocyte level showed that the stimulation of the Poly I:C was more sensitive. Prokaryotic expression results showed that efficient expression of On-CD48 protein could be realized after induced with 0.5 mmol L-1 IPTG in E. coli BL21 (DE3) for 10 h at 18 °C. The result of subcellular localization showed that On-CD48 were evenly distributed in the whole cell of HEK-293T. Western Blot confirmed that the molecular weight of the recombinant On-CD48 was about 21 kDa, consistent with the predicted result. The results of this study will lay a strong foundation for the further study of On-CD48 molecular function in tilapia.

Positive relationship between consumption of specific fish type and n-3 PUFA in milk of Hong Kong lactating mothers.

Residents of Hong Kong have undergone a dietary transition from a traditional Chinese diet that is high in seafood to a more Western diet. This may have affected the nutritional composition of breast milk of Hong Kong mothers. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between the dietary pattern and the fatty acid profile of the breast milk of lactating women in Hong Kong. Seventy-three volunteering healthy Hong Kong lactating mothers participated in the study. Their dietary intakes were assessed by using a 3-d dietary record and FFQ. The mean n-3 fatty acid levels were approximately 0·4 % (EPA) and 0·9 % (DHA) of total fatty acids in the breast milk of lactating mothers who had exclusively breastfed their infants aged 2-6 months. Maternal dietary intakes of n-3 fatty acids were positively associated with their levels in the breast milk. The levels of maternal intakes of freshwater and saltwater fish, especially the consumption of salmon, croaker and mandarin, were significantly correlated with the content of DHA in breast milk. The present study is among the very few in the literature to determine the fatty acid profile of breast milk in Hong Kong populations and verify certain dietary factors that influence this profile. High levels of n-3 PUFA, especially DHA, were observed in the breast milk of Hong Kong lactating women. The findings may serve as a dietary reference for lactating mothers to optimise the fatty acid profile of their breast milk.

Dietary chitosan-selenium nanoparticle (CTS-SeNP) enhance immunity and disease resistance in zebrafish.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human and animals. It plays an important role in antioxidative stress, selenoenzymes regulation and immunomodulation. In this study, two common immunostimulants chitosan (CTS) and Se were used to synthesize nanoparticles (CTS-SeNP). Immunomodulation of CTS-SeNP were explored in wild-type zebrafish (Danio rerio). Dietary supplementation of CTS-SeNP enhanced lysozyme activity, phagocytic respiratory burst as well as splenocytes proliferation stimulated by LPS and ConA. CTS-SeNP showed immunomodulation effect from 5 to 20 µg/g but the best outcome was observed at 10 µg/g. Immunomodulation effect were rapidly induced after 3-9d and can sustain to 60. The zebrafish fed with 10 µg/g CTS-SeNP also showed 26.7% higher survival rate than the control after intraperitoneal injection of common bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila. Our results suggested that CTS-SeNP is an effective immunostimulant to fish and has potential application in aquaculture.

Chronic Methylmercury Exposure Induces Production of Prostaglandins: Evidence From A Population Study and A Rat Dosing Experiment.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a well-known environmental neurotoxicant affecting millions worldwide who consume contaminated fishes and other food commodities. Exposure to MeHg has been shown to associate positively with some chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanism is poorly characterized. MeHg had been shown to affect prostaglandin (PG) regulations in in vitro studies, but neither in vivo nor human studies investigating the effects of MeHg on PG regulations has been reported. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the association between MeHg exposure and serum PG concentrations in a cross-sectional study among human adults followed by a validation investigation on the cause-effect relationship using a rat model. First, a total of 121 women were recruited from two cities: Wanshan and Leishan in Guizhou, China. Statistical analysis of the human data showed a positive association between blood total mercury (THg) levels and serum concentrations of PGF2α, 15-deoxy-PGJ2, and PGE2 after adjusting for site effects. In the animal study, adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with 40 µg MeHg/kg body weight/day for 12 weeks. Serum 15-deoxy-PGJ2 and 2,3 d-6-keto-PGF1α concentrations were found to increase significantly after 6 and 10 weeks of MeHg dosing, respectively, while serum PGF2α concentration increased significantly after 12 weeks of MeHg dosing. Combined results of our human and rat studies have shown that chronic MeHg exposure induced dysregulation of PG metabolism. As PGs are a set of mediators with very diverse functions, its abnormal production may serve as the missing mechanistic link between chronic MeHg exposure and various kinds of associated clinical conditions including neurodegeneration and cardiovascular diseases.

Quality of life in patients with oral leukoplakia.

BACKGROUND: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the most common oral potentially malignant disorder, yet despite its chronic and potentially disabling nature, the literature concerning impacts of OL on quality of life (QoL) is limited. This study aimed to evaluate QoL in subjects with OL compared to controls using QoL questionnaires. METHODS: Fifty individuals with OL and 50 controls matched for age, gender, smoking, and alcohol use were administered the Short Generic Health Questionnaire (SF-12) and the discipline-specific Oral Potentially Malignant Disorder Questionnaire (OPMDQ). Responses were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Subjects with OL reported poorer QoL scores compared to controls in two domains "Role limitations due to physical problems" and "Pain" of the SF-12 questionnaire, and in two domains "Difficulty with diagnosis" and "Effect of treatment on daily life" and in the overall scores of the OPMDQ. Females reported poorer QoL in the overall OPMD QoL score and in the domains of "Physical and function limitation" and "Psychological and social well-being," while older individuals in the domains of "Physical and function limitation" and "Effect of treatment on daily life." Non-alcohol drinkers and subjects with dysplastic or non-homogeneous OLs also reported poorer QoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life assessments provide useful insight into the impact of OL on an individual's life and opportunity to improve clinical care.

Maternal dietary exposure to selenium nanoparticle led to malformation in offspring.

Selenium (Se) is an essential element and its biological activity is related to its speciation. It is also well-known that in excess it can cause teratogenesis in fish and birds. In this study we compared dietary toxicity of elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with selenite and selenomethionine (Se-Met). Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) was used as a laboratory model to determine Se effects on adults and their offspring. Adult females were individually exposed using a dry diet fortified with 0, 10 or 20 µg/g of the three Se species for 7 days and then allowed to breed for 3 days. Fertilization rate and the proportion of malformed offspring were examined. The three Se diets led to significant increase in maternal tissue Se concentration in the order of Se-Met >>selenite > SeNP. However, in terms of proportion of malformed offspring, the effect of Se-Met = selenite > SeNP. The malformations included pericardial edema and craniofacial changes, which were typical for Se toxicity. The mismatch of maternal ovary Se concentration and proportion of malformed offspring suggested total Se concentration is a poor predictor of toxicity and teratogenesis. Comparing expression of four genes related to oxidative stress in maternal tissue also showed that there were significant differences in expression patterns between three Se diets in the order of selenite = SeNP > Se-Met. Our results showed that SeNPs cause similar toxicity as other Se species but require further study to elucidate the underlying mechanism.

Ecotoxicological risk of asphalt pavements to aquatic animals associated with pollutant leaching.

Contaminants such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be released from asphalt pavement and transported through stormwater runoff to nearby water bodies, leading to water pollution and potential harm to living aquatic animals. This study characterizes the heavy metal and PAH leaching from various asphalt paving materials and their potential ecotoxicological effects on zebrafish Danio rerio. Artificial runoffs were prepared in the laboratory concerning the effects of water, temperature, and traffic. The concentrations of heavy metals and PAHs in the leachates were quantified, while the toxicity assessment encompassed mortality, metal stress, PAH toxicity, inflammation, carcinogenicity, and oxidative damage. Gene expressions of related proteins or transcription factors were assessed, including metallothionines, aryl hydrocarbon receptors, interleukin-1ß, interleukin-10, nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, tumor suppressor p53, heat shock protein 70, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The findings demonstrate that leachates from asphalt pavements containing waste bottom ash, crumb rubber, or specific chemicals could induce notable stress and inflammation responses in zebrafish. In addition, potential carcinogenic effects and the elevation of ROS were identified within certain treatment groups. This study represents the first attempt to assess the ecotoxicity of pavement leachates employing a live fish model, thereby improving the current understanding of the environmental impact of asphalt pavements.

Food emulsifiers increase toxicity of food contaminants in three human GI tract cell lines.

Food products simultaneously containing both food contaminants and emulsifiers are common in baked products, coffee and chocolate. Little is known regarding how food contaminants and emulsifiers interact and alter toxicity. Recent studies have shown that while emulsifiers themselves have little toxicity, they could cause changes in the gut microenvironment and lead to issues such as increased uptake of allergens. This study examined toxic effect of two common process contaminants acrylamide (AA) and benzo [a]pyrene (BAP) combined with food emulsifiers polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (TW) or glycerol monostearate (G). In liver cell line HepG2 and gastrointestinal cell lines HIEC6 and Caco-2, toxicities of AA and BAP were increased by TW but not by G as indicated by decrease in IC50 values. Addition of TW also exacerbated gene expression changes caused by AA or BAP. Cellular uptake and cell membrane permeability were enhanced by TW but not by G, but tight junction proteins of Caco-2 monolayer was impacted by both emulsifiers. These results suggested that TW could increase toxicity of AA and BAP through increasing cell permeability thus chemical uptake and potentially through other interactions. The study is to draw the attention of regulators on the potential synergistic interaction of co-occurring chemicals in food.