Effect of radioiodine therapy under thyroid hormone withdrawal on health-related quality of life in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of radioactive iodine therapy under thyroid hormone withdrawal in differentiated thyroid cancer patients on health-related quality of life. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy were involved in this study. All of them were managed with thyroid hormone withdrawal. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 and its thyroid cancer module at three different time points. Changes in health-related quality of life were evaluated by Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Univariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine social-demographic and clinical factors associated with worse health-related quality of life. RESULTS: A total of 99 differentiated thyroid cancer patients were involved in this study. Changes in health-related quality of life at different time points showed that 1 month post-radioactive iodine treatment, an improvement in nausea and vomiting, insomnia and appetite loss was observed. Impairments of global health, role, cognitive and social function and problems of discomfort in the head and neck, voice concerns, dry mouth, fatigue, pain, dyspnea, thyroid fatigue, fear, tingling or numbness, joint pain and shoulder function increased after radioactive iodine treatment. Univariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated potential factors associated with worse health-related quality of life. Thyroid stimulating hormone and parathyroid hormone levels were more sensible to changes in functional domain. Patients aged ≥55-year-old, with annual income under ¥50 000, low parathyroid hormone and pT4 tumour stage experienced higher changes in symptom scales after radioactive iodine treatment. CONCLUSION: After radioactive iodine treatment, differentiated thyroid cancer patients experienced negative health-related quality of life, and most of these impairments might not recover in the short term. Thyroid stimulating hormone and parathyroid hormone levels, annual income and pT tumours stage were independent risk factors for decreased health-related quality of life.

Stigma, self-efficacy and late toxicities among Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the level of stigma among Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors, its influencing factors and relationship with self-efficacy. METHODS: In total, 281 nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors were recruited from China, who completed the demographic, disease-related and late toxicities questionnaire, as well as the General Self-Efficacy Scale and Social Impact Scale. RESULTS: The mean scores for stigma and self-efficacy were 57.22 ± 9.58 and 28.06 ± 3.97, respectively, both showing a moderate level. The late toxicities with the highest incidence were xerostomia (91.8%), fatigue (78.3%) and hearing loss (63.0%). Stigma was significantly and negatively related to self-efficacy (r = -0.295, P < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression showed that self-efficacy, number of children, educational level, perceived support from spouse and other family members and some late toxicities (nasal obstruction and toothache) were influencing factors of stigma, accounting for 49.4% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Medical staff should be more aware of stigma among Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors, especially those with more children and weaker educational backgrounds who are at a higher risk of stigma. They should take effective measures to alleviate stigma by improving patients' self-efficacy, relieving late toxicities and encouraging spouses and family members to provide more support for them.

Hydrogels: Properties and Applications in Biomedicine.

Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer chains with three-dimensional (3D) network structures, which can absorb relatively large amounts of fluid. Because of the high water content, soft structure, and porosity of hydrogels, they closely resemble living tissues. Research in recent years shows that hydrogels have been applied in various fields, such as agriculture, biomaterials, the food industry, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Along with the underlying technology improvements of hydrogel development, hydrogels can be expected to be applied in more fields. Although not all hydrogels have good biodegradability and biocompatibility, such as synthetic hydrogels (polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol hydrogels, etc.), their biodegradability and biocompatibility can be adjusted by modification of their functional group or incorporation of natural polymers. Hence, scientists are still interested in the biomedical applications of hydrogels due to their creative adjustability for different uses. In this review, we first introduce the basic information of hydrogels, such as structure, classification, and synthesis. Then, we further describe the recent applications of hydrogels in 3D cell cultures, drug delivery, wound dressing, and tissue engineering.

Outcome of Chinese patients with hepatitis B at 96 weeks after functional cure with IFN versus combination regimens.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nucleotides with add-on interferon treatment (NUC-IFN) provide significantly higher rates of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study aimed to investigate the sustainability of HBsAg loss and the prevention of clinical relapse. METHODS: Patients with CHB who achieved HBsAg loss and HBV DNA levels <20 IU/ml after IFN or NUC-IFN therapy were enrolled and followed up for 96 weeks. The primary outcome was HBsAg negativity without viremia at week 96. Secondary outcomes included virological or clinical relapse and predictors of relapse. RESULTS: 420 patients were included in intention-to-treat analysis with 290 and 130 in the IFN and NUC-IFN groups respectively. At week 96, the intention-to-treat analysis revealed similar outcomes between groups, including HBsAg seroreversion (24.83% vs. 23.08%, P = .70), viremia (16.90% vs 13.08%, P = .32) and clinical relapse (11.38% vs 10.00%, P = .68); the per-protocol analyses also showed HBsAg seroreversion, viremia and clinical relapse in IFN group (15.50%, 6.59% and 0.39%) did not differ from those in NUC-IFN group (15.25%, 4.24% and 0.85%, P > .05). These outcomes were similar between patients who received entecavir and those who received telbivudine/lamivudine/adefovir before the combination therapy. In NUC-IFN-treated patients, fibrosis regression was observed at week 96. Baseline HBsAb negativity was independent predictors of HBsAg sero-reversion and recurrence of viremia in IFN treated group. CONCLUSION: NUC-IFN and IFN therapies are equally effective in achieving sustained functional cure and fibrosis regression. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number NCT02336399).

Solution-Processable Copolymers Based on Triphenylamine and 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene: Facile Synthesis and Multielectrochromism.

In comparison with traditional inorganic electrochromic materials, organic polymers offer advantages such as fast switching speed, flexibility, lightweightness, low cost and nontoxicity, solution-processability, and color tunability. Herein, a series of hyper-branched copolymers are synthesized from triphenylamine and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene with different feed ratios via iron(III) chloride (FeCl3 )-mediated oxidative polymerization. The resultant organic-soluble polymers are easily processable and their corresponding electrochromic devices are found to be stable with limited degradation upon 2500 cycles. In addition to their facile synthesis to achieve solution-processable polymers, studies also show that the polymers exhibit multielectrochromic properties and give rise to five colored states upon oxidative-doping by applying an external voltage between 0 and 2.0 V, providing an interesting example of polymers with unique electrochromic switching among up to five colors, from yellow at the neutral state, to pale green, pale purple, orange, and finally gray.

Reproducible and Bendable SERS Substrates with Tailored Wettability Using Block Copolymers and Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates.

Surface properties are essential for substrates exhibiting high sensitivity in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications. In this work, novel SERS hybrid substrates using polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) and anodic aluminum oxide templates is presented. The hybrid substrates not only possess hierarchical porous nanostructures but also exhibit superhydrophilic surface properties with the water contact angle ≈0°. Such surfaces play an important role in providing uniform enhanced intensities over large areas (relative standard deviation ≈10%); moreover, these substrates are found to be highly sensitive (limit of detection ≈10-12 m for rhodamine 6G (R6G)). The results show that the hybrid SERS substrates can achieve the simultaneous detection of multicomponent mixtures of different target molecules, such as R6G, crystal violet, and methylene blue. Furthermore, the bending experiments show that about 70% of the SERS intensities are maintained after bending from ≈30° to 150°.

Laser-Assisted Nanowetting: Selective Fabrication of Polymer/Gold Nanorod Arrays Using Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates.

1D polymer nanomaterials have attracted significant interest in recent years because of their unique properties and promising applications in various fields. It is, however, still a challenge to fabricate polymer nanoarrays with desired sizes and controlled morphologies. Here, an unprecedented approach, the laser-assisted nanowetting (LAN) method, to selectively fabricate polymer nanoarrays is presented. Polystyrene (PS) is blended with gold nanorods (AuNRs), which are used to absorb the energy from the laser. After the blend films are brought in contact with AAO templates, the AuNRs at regions shone by the laser beams absorb the energy and heat the surrounding polymer chains, resulting in the formation of PS/AuNRs arrays in selected areas. This work paves a new research direction for developing template-based polymer nanomaterials.

Biocompatibility of Materials for Biomedical Engineering.

In the tissue engineering research field, nanobiomaterials highlight the impact of novel bioactive materials in both current applications and their potentials in future progress for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Tissue engineering is a well-investigated and challenging biomedical field, with promising perspectives to improve and support quality of life for the patient. To assess the response of those extracellular matrices (ECMs), induced by biomedical materials, this review will focus on cell response to natural biomaterials for biocompatibility.

Applicability of duplex real time and lateral flow strip reverse-transcription recombinase aided amplification assays for the detection of Enterovirus 71 and Coxsackievirus A16.

BACKGROUND: Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and coxsackievirus A16 (CA16) are the two main etiological agents of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD). Simple and rapid detection of EV71 and CA16 is critical in resource-limited settings. METHODS: Duplex real time reverse-transcription recombinase aided amplification (RT-RAA) assays incorporating competitive internal amplification controls (IAC) and visible RT-RAA assays combined with lateral flow strip (LFS) for detection of EV71 and CA16 were developed respectively. Duplex real time RT-RAA assays were performed at 42 °C within 30 min using a portable real-time fluorescence detector, while LFS RT-RAA assays were performed at 42 °C within 30 min in an incubator. Recombinant plasmids containing conserved VP1 genes were used to analyze the sensitivities of these two methods. A total of 445 clinical specimens from patients who were suspected of being infected with HFMD were used to evaluate the performance of the assays. RESULTS: The limit of detection (LoD) of the duplex real time RT-RAA for EV71 and CA16 was 47 copies and 38 copies per reaction, respectively. The LoD of the LFS RT-RAA for EV71 and CA16 were both 91 copies per reaction. There was no cross reactivity with other enteroviruses. Compared to reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), the clinical diagnostic sensitivities of the duplex real time RT-RAA assay were 92.3% for EV71 and 99.0% for CA16, and the clinical diagnostic specificities were 99.7 and 100%, respectively. The clinical diagnostic sensitivities of the LFS RT-RAA assay were 90.1% for EV71 and 94.9% for CA16, and the clinical diagnostic specificities were 99.7 and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The developed duplex real time RT-RAA and LFS RT-RAA assays for detection of EV71 and CA16 are potentially suitable in primary clinical settings.

Antitumor Effect of Nanoparticle 131I-Labeled Arginine-Glycine-Aspartate-Bovine Serum Albumin-Polycaprolactone in Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to investigate the biologic effects of internal irradiation and the therapeutic effectiveness of 131I-labeled arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)-bovine serum albumin (BSA)-polycaprolactone (PCL) (131I-RGD-BSA-PCL) in murine lung cancer models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The target binding and cellular uptake of NCI-H460 lung cancer cells overexpressing integrin αvß3 were observed by confocal microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to assay apoptosis. The biologic effects of internal irradiation and the therapeutic efficacy of 131I-RGD-BSA-PCL were investigated in murine lung cancer models; tumor size, body weight, histopathologic findings, and SPECT/CT imaging findings were also monitored. RESULTS: In vitro uptake studies performed using confocal microscopy showed that, after 1 hour of incubation with RGD-BSA-PCL or BSA-PCL, visible fluorescence was present in the cells, and after 8 hours, the florescent signal did not disappear. The mean (± SE) tumor uptake level (i.e., the percentage of the injected dose per gram of tissue [% ID/g]) of 131I-labeled BSA-PCL (131I-BSA-PCL) at 24 and 72 hours after injection was 11.06% ± 2.15% ID/g and 3.83% ± 0.87% ID/g, respectively, which is significantly higher than the uptake levels noted for other organs (p < 0.05). The level of tumor uptake of 131I-RGD-BSA-PCL at 24 and 72 hours after injection was 39.49% ± 6.06% ID/g and 6.97% ± 1.43% ID/g, respectively, which is significantly higher than that of 131I-labeled liposome (p < 0.05). The decrease in body weight in the group treated with 131I-RGD-BSA-PCL was only 3.5% of the original body weight and was much lower than noted in the group receiving saline (i.e., 21.5% of original body weight). The median survival time for the therapeutic groups was prolonged to 27 days and 23 days after treatment with 131I-RGD-BSA-PCL and 131I-BSA-PCL, respectively. CONCLUSION: RGD-BSA-PCL has excellent cellular binding in vitro in a non-small cell lung cancer xenograft model. Furthermore, 131I-RGD-BSA-PCL was evaluated as an imaging agent and is an interesting candidate for targeting therapies in the non-small cell lung cancer xenograft model.

Peginterferon alfa-2a for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in the era of direct-acting antivirals.

BACKGROUND: The availability of novel direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) represents a new era of curative hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, with over 95% of patients infected with HCV genotype 1 achieving sustained virological response (SVR). Nevertheless, the majority of patients globally are unable to access these treatments because of cost and infrastructure constraints and, thus, remain untreated and uncured. DATA SOURCE: Relevant articles of peginterferon (PegIFN)-based treatments in HCV and sofosbuvir-based treatments, simeprevir, daclatasvir/asunaprevir, ritonavir-boosted paritaprevir/ombitasvir/dasabuvir, and grazoprevir/elbasvir, were searched in PubMed database, including general population and special population. RESULTS: PegIFN in combination with ribavirin remains an important and relevant option for some patients, achieving SVR rates of up to 79% in genotype 1 and 89% in genotype 2 or 3 infections, which increases for patients with favorable IL28B genotypes. Triple therapy of DAA plus PegIFN/ribavirin is effective in treating difficult-to-cure patients infected with HCV genotype 3 or with resistance-associated variants. Owing to its long history in HCV management, the efficacy, tolerability and long-term outcomes associated with PegIFN alfa-2a are well established and have been validated in large-scale studies and in clinical practice for many populations. Furthermore, emerging data show that IFN-induced SVR is associated with lower incidences of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with DAAs. On the contrary, novel DAAs have yet to be studied in special populations, and long-term outcomes, particularly tumor development and recurrence in patients with cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma, and reactivation of HBV in dually infected patients, are still unclear. CONCLUSION: In this interferon-free era, PegIFN-based regimens remain a safe and effective option for selected HCV patients.

The Predictive Value of Baseline HBsAg Level and Early Response for HBsAg Loss in Patients with HBeAg-positive Chronic Hepatitis B during Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2a Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive value of baseline HBsAg level and early response for HBsAg loss in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B during pegylated interferon alpha-2a treatment. METHODS: A total of 121 patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B who achieved HBsAg loss were enrolled; all patients were treated with PEG-IFNα-2a 180 µg/week. Serum HBV DNA and serological indicators (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, and anti-HBe) were determined before and every 3 months during treatment. RESULTS: The median treatment time for HBsAg loss was 84 weeks (7-273 weeks), and 74.38% (90 cases) of the patients needed extended treatment (> 48 weeks). The correlation between baseline HBsAg levels and the treatment time of HBsAg loss was significant (B = 14.465, t = 2.342, P = 0.021). Baseline HBsAg levels together with the decline range of HBsAg at 24 weeks significantly correlated with the treatment time of HBsAg loss (B = 29.862, t = 4.890, P = 0.000 and B = 27.993, t = 27.993, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Baseline HBsAg levels and extended therapy are critical steps toward HBsAg loss. Baseline HBsAg levels together with early response determined the treatment time of HBsAg loss in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B during pegylated interferon alpha-2a treatment.

Applications of hierarchically structured porous materials from energy storage and conversion, catalysis, photocatalysis, adsorption, separation, and sensing to biomedicine.

Over the last decade, significant effort has been devoted to the applications of hierarchically structured porous materials owing to their outstanding properties such as high surface area, excellent accessibility to active sites, and enhanced mass transport and diffusion. The hierarchy of porosity, structural, morphological and component levels in these materials is key for their high performance in all kinds of applications. The introduction of hierarchical porosity into materials has led to a significant improvement in the performance of materials. Herein, recent progress in the applications of hierarchically structured porous materials from energy conversion and storage, catalysis, photocatalysis, adsorption, separation, and sensing to biomedicine is reviewed. Their potential future applications are also highlighted. We particularly dwell on the relationship between hierarchically porous structures and properties, with examples of each type of hierarchically structured porous material according to its chemical composition and physical characteristics. The present review aims to open up a new avenue to guide the readers to quickly obtain in-depth knowledge of applications of hierarchically porous materials and to have a good idea about selecting and designing suitable hierarchically porous materials for a specific application. In addition to focusing on the applications of hierarchically porous materials, this comprehensive review could stimulate researchers to synthesize new advanced hierarchically porous solids.

High total volatile organic compounds pollution in a hospital dental department.

Bioaerosols produced by dental procedures may affect indoor air quality and cause infections in dental healthcare workers. To provide air quality data that can be used to protect dental healthcare workers, this study evaluated the air quality and its influencing factors in the dental department of the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. The study was a cross-sectional study design. Indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluations were conducted in six locations: pediatric dentistry, craniofacial orthodontic dentistry, periodontal dentistry, and general practice dentistry, instrument washing room, and patient waiting area. The measured air quality parameters included temperature, relative humidity, and concentrations of CO2, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), suspended particulate matter (PM), and bacteria. TVOCs concentrations at all six sampling stations were found to exceed the indoor air quality standards prescribed by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency. The highest concentrations of atmospheric PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were found in the periodontal dentistry department, while the lowest concentrations occurred in the patient waiting area. The detection rate for Gram-positive bacteria was highest in the pediatric department (25%) and lowest in the instrument washing room (9%). Micrococcus luteus and Bacillus cereus were the primary pathogens detected. The dental departments of the hospital had a serious TVOCs pollution. The air quality of dental departments deserves long-term surveillance and attention.

Experimental and Theoretical Study on Terahertz Spectra for Regenerated Cellulose.

In this work, regenerated cellulose films were prepared with an iced dissolution method, while the physical morphologies and crystal types of the products were systematically characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared(FTIR), while X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results demonstrate that the as-prepared continuous and uniform films are indeed cellulose Ⅱ, whose morphology and crystal type are significantly different from those of the degreased cotton. Moreover, Terahertz time domain system (THz-TDS) and FTIR were employed to measure the THz spectra of the regenerated cellulose films. Accordingly, the THz characteristic peaks for the regenerated cellulose films are experimentally identified for the first time. In addition, the increase of the THz transmittance with the decrease of the wavenumber is attributed to the existence of amorphous components in the regenerated cellulose films. Although the shapes of Far-IR spectra in the range of 100～700 cm-1 are similar, the absorption peaks of the regenerated cellulose films move to lower wavenumbers (blue shift) compared with those of the degreased cotton. Based on this, we developed a new approach to distinguish the allomorphism of cellulose Ⅱ and cellulose Iß by Far-IR. Particularly, geometry optimization and IR calculation for the crystal structure of cellulose Ⅱ have been successfully processed by Density Functional Theory (DFT) using periodic boundary condition via CASTEP package. The calculated absorption peak positions are in good agreement with those experimentally measured. Consequently, the THz characteristic peaks of the regenerated cellulose films have been systematically and successfully assigned. Theoretical calculations reveal that the peaks at 42 and 54 cm-1 are assigned to the lattice vibration modes coupled with translational mode and rotational mode, respectively. Moreover, the absorption peaks in the range of 68～238 cm-1 are related with the torsion vibration of ­CH2OH group and deformation vibration of C­H bond and O­H bond, while those in the range of 351～583 cm-1 are assigned to the skeletal vibration of C­O­C bond and pyranoid ring, and those at 611 and 670 cm-1 are originated from the out-of-plane bending vibration of O­H bond. Each absorption peak is involved in more than single vibration mode. The THz spectra presented in this work, together with the theoretical simulations, indicate that the THz responses of regenerated cellulose are closely associated with both its chemical constituents and molecular structure. These results will be helpful not only for better understanding the relations between the molecular structure of the regenerated cellulose and its THz spectrum, but also for providing valuable information for future studies on the physical mechanisms of THz responses of other partially-crystalline polymers and organic biological macromolecules.

The role of digestive factors in determining glycemic response in a multiethnic Asian population.

PURPOSE: There are wide inter-individual differences in glycemic response (GR). We aimed to examine key digestive parameters that influence inter-individual and ethnic differences in GR in healthy Asian individuals. METHODS: Seventy-five healthy male subjects (25 Chinese, 25 Malays, and 25 Asian-Indians) were served equivalent available carbohydrate amounts (50 g) of jasmine rice (JR) and basmati rice (BR) on separate occasions. Postprandial blood glucose concentrations were measured at fasting (-5 and 0 min) and at 15- to 30-min interval over 180 min. Mastication parameters (number of chews per mouth and chewing time per mouthful), saliva α-amylase activity, AMY1 gene copy numbers and gastric emptying rate were measured to investigate their relationships with GR. RESULTS: The GR for jasmine rice was significantly higher than for basmati rice (P < 0.001). The median number of AMY1 gene copies was 6, with a range of 2-15. There was a significant positive relationship between AMY1 copy number and α-amylase activity (P = 0.002). There were no significant ethnic differences in GR. For both rice varieties, the number of chews per mouthful was positively associated with the GR (JR, P = 0.011; BR, P = 0.005), while chewing time per mouthful showed a negative association (JR, P = 0.039; BR, P = 0.016). Ethnicity, salivary α-amylase activity, particle size distribution, gastric emptying rate and AMY1 gene copy numbers were not significant contributors to GR (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Mastication parameters contribute significantly to GR. Eating slowly and having larger food boluses before swallowing (less chewing), both potentially modifiable, may be beneficial in glycemic control.

Polymer nanocomposites enhance S-nitrosoglutathione intestinal absorption and promote the formation of releasable nitric oxide stores in rat aorta.

Alginate/chitosan nanocomposite particles (GSNO-acNCPs), i.e. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) loaded polymeric nanoparticles incorporated into an alginate and chitosan matrix, were developed to increase the effective GSNO loading capacity, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, and to sustain its release from the intestine following oral administration. Compared with free GSNO and GSNO loaded nanoparticles, GSNO-acNCPs promoted 2.7-fold GSNO permeation through a model of intestinal barrier (Caco-2 cells). After oral administration to Wistar rats, GSNO-acNCPs promoted NO storage into the aorta during at least 17h, as highlighted by (i) a long-lasting hyporeactivity to phenylephrine (decrease in maximum vasoconstrictive effect of aortic rings) and (ii) N-acetylcysteine (a thiol which can displace NO from tissues)-induced vasodilation of aorxxtic rings preconstricted with phenylephrine. In conclusion, GSNO-acNCPs enhance GSNO intestinal absorption and promote the formation of releasable NO stores into the rat aorta. GSNO-acNCPs are promising carriers for chronic oral application devoted to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Fluoride impairs oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development in mice.

The damage caused by fluorosis is permanent, and has been recognized as a public health problem in a number of regions of the world. Although multiple studies provided evidence that sodium fluoride (NaF) elicits adverse effects on reproductive function, the effect of fluoride on female germ cell development is not well understood. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the effect of fluoride treatments on in vivo maturation and developmental potential of mouse oocytes, in which female ICR mice were treated with a range of doses (0, 30, 60, and 150 mg/L) of NaF. After treatment, mice were superovulated to collect ovulated oocytes. The effects of NaF on oocyte quality, fertilization potential and early embryonic development were evaluated, as well as the underlying mechanisms were primarily investigated. The findings of this study showed that NaF treatment resulted in abnormal spindle configuration, actin cap formation, and cortical granule-free domain formation. Additionally, overexposure of mice to NaF notably reduced ATP production and mitochondrial membrane potential, further influencing in vitro fertilization and subsequent embryonic development. These results indicated that NaF treatment impairs the subsequent embryonic developmental potential of the oocytes. In conclusion, overexposure to fluoride in vivo was associated with a significant disruption of cytoskeletal dynamics and decreased oocyte quality, affecting the oocyte's subsequent fertilization and embryonic development. Results of this study provide a rationale for treating reproductive diseases such as infertility or miscarriage caused by environmental contaminants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 1486-1495, 2016.

Activation of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway by silk fibroin modified chitosan nanoparticles in hepatic cancer cells.

Silk fibroin (SF) is a protein with bulky hydrophobic domains and can be easily purified as sericin-free silk-based biomaterial. Silk fibroin modified chitosan nanoparticle (SF-CSNP), a biocompatible material, has been widely used as a potential drug delivery system. Our current investigation studied the bio-effects of the SF-CSNP uptake by liver cells. In this experiment, the characterizations of SF-CSNPs were measured by particle size analysis and protein assay. The average size of the SF-CSNP was 311.9 ± 10.7 nm, and the average zeta potential was +13.33 ± 0.3 mV. The SF coating on the SF-CSNP was 6.27 ± 0.17 µg/mL. Moreover, using proteomic approaches, several proteins involved in the ubiquitin proteasome pathway were identified by analysis of differential protein expressions of HepG2 cell uptake the SF-CSNP. Our experimental results have demonstrated that the SF-CSNP may be involved in liver cancer cell survival and proliferation.