Polystyrene nanoplastics exposure causes erectile dysfunction in rats.

Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs), emerging and increasingly pervasive environmental contaminants, have the potential to cause persistent harm to organisms. Although previous reports have documented local accumulation and adverse effects in a variety of major organs after PS-NPs exposure, the impact of PS-NPs exposure on erectile function remains unexplored. Herein, we established a rat model of oral exposure to 100 nm PS-NPs for 28 days. To determine the best dose range of PS-NPs, we designed both low-dose and high-dose PS-NPs groups, which correspond to the minimum and maximum human intake doses, respectively. The findings indicated that PS-NPs could accumulate within the corpus cavernosum and high dose but not low dose of PS-NPs triggered erectile dysfunction. Moreover, the toxicological effects of PS-NPs on erectile function include fibrosis in the corpus cavernous, endothelial dysfunction, reduction in testosterone levels, elevated oxidative stress and apoptosis. Overall, this study revealed that PS-NPs exposure can cause erectile dysfunction via multiple ways, which provided new insights into the toxicity of PS-NPs.

Spinal infection after vertebral augmentation: a covert complication with serious havoc.

INTRODUCTION: Vertebral augmentation, including percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or kyphoplasty (PKP), is the current least invasive surgical option and has been widely used to treat the painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). However, the postoperative infections could be life-threatening, even though they rarely occur. Our studies aim to clarify the causation and outcomes of spinal infections following augmentation and meanwhile to identify the risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with OVCF who underwent PVP or PKP, and were subsequently admitted to our institution with postoperative spinal infection between January 2010 and December 2022. A total of 33 patients were finally included. RESULTS: The rate of spinal infection after augmentation in our single institute was 0.05% (2/3893). In addition to these 2 patients, the remaining 31 were referred from other hospitals. All 33 patients exhibited elevated inflammatory parameters, 14 patients presented with fever, and 9 patients experienced neurological deficits. Additionally, 29 patients had comorbidity and risk factors. Pathogens were identified in 26 patients, while only 7 patients were examined as culture negative. 27 patients underwent revision surgery and 6 patients only received conservative therapy. Anterior surgery was performed in 2 patients, while posterior surgery was performed in 20 patients. A combined anterior-posterior surgery was performed in 5 patients. At the final follow-up, 18 patients had unrestricted mobility, 10 patients required assistance from crutches or a walker for ambulation, 4 patients needed a wheelchair, and 1 patients died after revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal infection after vertebral augmentation is rare, but it cannot be ignored. Surgeons should make every effort to detect the potential preoperative spondylitis or discitis. Once postoperative spinal infection is confirmed, a prompt intravenous antibiotic therapy is warranted. If medication therapy fails, revision surgery involving debridement and spinal reconstruction should be considered.

Letter to the Editor concerning the article "Clinical outcomes of chondroblastoma treated using synthetic bone substitute: risk factors for developing radiographic joint degeneration".

The purpose of this letter to the Editor is to report some shortcomings in the statistical analysis and variable grouping in the recent publication of the article "Clinical outcomes of chondroblastoma treated using synthetic bone substitute: risk factors for developing radiographic joint degeneration," and to further explore some of the factors that may affect the clinical prognosis of chondroblastoma patients. We also suggest future prospective controlled studies with large samples to improve the limitations encountered by Outani et al. (World J Surg Oncol. 18(1):47, 2020) due to insufficient statistical power of variables and lack of controls.

Downregulated miR-524-5p Participates in the Tumor Microenvironment of Ameloblastoma by Targeting the Interleukin-33 (IL-33)/Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) Axis.

BACKGROUND Ameloblastoma (AB) is a common odontogenic epithelial tumor, with locally invasive behavior and high recurrence. In this study, we hypothesized that miR-524-5p could be involved in the tumor microenvironment by targeting interleukin-33 (IL-33)/suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) in AB. MATERIAL AND METHODS The microRNA (miRNA) expression profile of AB tissues and normal oral mucosa tissues (NOM; 6 paired samples) was analyzed. The miRNAs with fold change ≥2 and P<0.05 were considered to be differentially expressed. Among them, downregulated miR-524-5p was verified by real-time qPCR. Potential targets of miR-524-5p were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. The expression levels of target genes were detected using real-time qPCR and Western blot, respectively. Immunohistochemistry analysis of target genes was performed, and we also assessed the correlation between miR-524-5p and its target. RESULTS Microarray analysis results first indicated miR-524-5p is a downregulated miRNA in AB tissues. Real-time qPCR results confirmed the expression pattern of miR-524-5p in AB tissues. Moreover, IL-33 and its receptor ST2 were significantly overexpressed. As shown in immunohistochemistry results, IL-33 was positively expressed in lymphocytes and plasma cells, suggesting that IL-33/ST2 participates in tumor immune responses in the tumor microenvironment. Correlation analysis suggested that miR-524-5p expression was negatively correlated with IL-33/ST2. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that downregulated miR-524-5p can participate in the tumor microenvironment of AB by targeting the IL-33/ST2 axis.

R-phycoerythrin proteins@ZIF-8 composite thin films for mercury ion detection.

Mercury, as one of the most prevalent toxic metals released by various natural and anthropogenic processes, causes severe pollution of soil and groundwater. In this work, R-phycoerythrin (R-PE) proteins encapsulated into ZIF-8 composite thin films were prepared via a solid-confinement conversion process and applied as fluorescent sensors for mercury ion detection. The R-PE proteins encapsulated into ZIF-8 exhibit dual color emissions including green (518 nm) and red (602, 650 nm) fluorescence, while the original orange emission (578 nm) of pure R-PE is significantly suppressed. R-PE@ZIF-8 presents excellent selectivity and sensitivity for mercury detection in a large pH range without buffer solution. Under the optimal conditions, there is a good linear relationship between the fluorescence quenching efficiencies of R-PE@ZIF-8 and logarithmic concentrations of mercury ions in the range of 0.001-50 µM with the detection limit (LOD) of 6.7 nM much lower than the guideline value given by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, multi-peak detection of R-PE@ZIF-8 improves the detection accuracy of Hg2+ concentration.

[Treatment for thoracolumbar spinal burst fracture in youth and middle-aged adults by bone cement filling].

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether the procedure of posterior instrumentation and vertebroplasty for treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture in youth and middle-aged patients is safe, practical and effective in short- and long-term.
 METHODS: A total of 50 patients aged 30-55 years old who suffered from thoracolumbar burst fracture complicated with incomplete paralysis or without neurologic symptom received surgery by using pedicle-screw implantation, reduction and bone cement filling through the unilateral or bilateral pedicles. The bone cement injection was conducted slowly and cautiously under monitor of fluoroscopy. Spinal canal exploration or decompression was performed regularly in follow-ups by X-ray films and CT scans.
 RESULTS: Cement leakage occurred in 5 cases without relevant symptom, including 1 case with leak from anterior aspect, 2 cases from lateral aspect, and 2 cases through ruptured end-plate into disc space. No spinal canal leakage or introvascular leakage was detected. The following-up duration was 5 to 10 years. There was no vertebral body height loss and regional kyphosis. The gaps within fractured vertebral body prior to surgery were disappeared completely. There was also no cement-bone interface detected. In 15 out of 50 cases, there were newly-formed bone bridges between fractured vertebral body and upper or lower adjacent vertebral body. There was no hardware failure occurred up to final follow-up.
 CONCLUSION: Bone cement filling combined with posterior instrumentation through pedicle-screw technique is a safe, practical and effective method for treatment of non-osteoporotic thoracolumbar spinal burst fractures without severe neurologic injury. The gaps among fracture fragments can be filled evenly and completely. Therefore, instant and permanent spinal stability can be achieved with excellent long-term result.

Expedient Discovery for Novel Antifungal Leads Inhibiting Fusarium graminearum: 3-(Phenylamino)quinazolin-4(3H)-ones Deriving from Systematic Optimizations on a Tryptanthrin Structure.

The ever-increasing resistance of Fusarium graminearum has emerged as a pressing agricultural issue that could be settled by developing novel fungicides owning inimitable action mechanisms. With the aim of discovering novel antifungal leads inhibiting F. graminearum, a tryptanthrin structure was dexterously optimized to generate 30 novel quinazolin-4(3H)-one derivatives. The aforementioned optimization generated the molecule C17 that owned exhilarating in vitro anti-F. graminearum effect (EC50 value = 0.76 µg/mL). Whereafter, the in vivo anti-F. graminearum preventative efficacy of the molecule C17 was measured to be 59.5% at 200 µg/mL, which was approximately comparable with that of carbendazim (64.9%). Furthermore, morphological observations indicated that the molecule C17 could cause the hypha to become slender and dense, distort the outline of cell walls, induce an increase in liposome numbers, and cause the reduction of mitochondria numbers. The above results have emerged as an obbligato complement for developing novel antifungal leads that could effectively control Fusarium head blight.