Combined impacts of microplastics and cadmium on the liver function, immune response, and intestinal microbiota of crucian carp (Carassius carassius).

Microplastics (MPs) and the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) have attracted global attention for their toxicological interactions in aquatic organisms. The purpose of this investigation was evaluating the effect of MPs (1 mg L-1) and Cd (5 mg L-1) on the liver function, immune response of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) after 96 h exposure, and intestinal microbiota after 21 days, respectively. Co-exposure to MPs and Cd significantly enhanced MP accumulation in the liver of the crucian carp compared to the accumulation with exposure to MPs alone. Co-exposure to MPs and Cd triggered notable histopathological alterations accompanied by increased hepatic cell necrosis and inflammation, and was associated with higher aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, lower superoxide dismutase and catalase activity levels, but higher malondialdehyde content and total antioxidant capacity in the liver. Moreover, the combined treatment of MPs and Cd led to the up-regulated transcription of genes related to immune response, such as interleukin 8 (il-8), il-10, il-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α, and heat shock protein 70, both in the liver and spleen. Co-exposure to MPs and Cd reduced the variety and abundance of the intestinal microbiota in the crucian carp. Our research indicates that the combined exposure to MPs and Cd may exert synergistic toxic effects on crucian carp, which could impede the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry and pose potential risks to food safety.

Effect of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Hemicellulose Structure on the Properties of Hemicellulose-Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Film.

Hemicellulose is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide and a promising feedstock for biomaterial synthesis. In the present study, the hemicellulose of loblolly pine was obtained by the alkali extraction-graded ethanol precipitation technique, and the hemicellulose-polyvinyl alcohol (hemicellulose-PVA) composite film was prepared by film casting from water. Results showed that hemicellulose with a low degree of substitution is prone to self-aggregation during film formation, while hemicellulose with high branching has better compatibility with PVA and is easier to form a homogeneous composite film. In addition, the higher molecular weight of hemicellulose facilitates the preparation of hemicellulose-PVA composite film with better mechanical properties. More residual lignin in hemicellulose results in the better UV shielding ability of the composite film. This study provides essential support for the efficient and rational utilization of hemicellulose.

A Novel Dual Bacteria-Imprinted Polymer Sensor for Highly Selective and Rapid Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria.

The rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of pathogenic bacteria is of utmost importance in ensuring food safety and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Here, we present a novel, reusable, and cost-effective impedimetric sensor based on a dual bacteria-imprinted polymer (DBIP) for the specific detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. The DBIP sensor stands out with its remarkably short fabrication time of just 20 min, achieved through the efficient electro-polymerization of o-phenylenediamine monomer in the presence of dual bacterial templates, followed by in-situ template removal. The key structural feature of the DBIP sensor lies in the cavity-free imprinting sites, indicative of a thin layer of bacterial surface imprinting. This facilitates rapid rebinding of the target bacteria within a mere 15 min, while the sensing interface regenerates in just 10 min, enhancing the sensor's overall efficiency. A notable advantage of the DBIP sensor is its exceptional selectivity, capable of distinguishing the target bacteria from closely related bacterial strains, including different serotypes. Moreover, the sensor exhibits high sensitivity, showcasing a low detection limit of approximately 9 CFU mL-1. The sensor's reusability further enhances its cost-effectiveness, reducing the need for frequent sensor replacements. The practicality of the DBIP sensor was demonstrated in the analysis of real apple juice samples, yielding good recoveries. The integration of quick fabrication, high selectivity, rapid response, sensitivity, and reusability makes the DBIP sensor a promising solution for monitoring pathogenic bacteria, playing a crucial role in ensuring food safety and safeguarding public health.

[Preparation of chitosan scaffold with different deacetylated degrees and evaluation of the degradation characteristics].

The chitosan scaffolds with different deacetylated degree were prepared in this study. The morphology of scaffolds were observed using SEM, and the porosity, the water absorbing swelling ratio and the degradation were examined both in vitro and in vitro. The results showed that the chitosan scaffolds with different deacetylated degree exhibited three-dimensional structure with high porosity. With increasing of deacetylated degree, their porosities were 93.46%, 90.02% and 86.71%, respectively. The swelling ratios of chitosan scaffolds were 820%, 803% and 772%, respectively. At the fourth week, the degradation rates were 30.44%, 22.08% and 17.10% in vitro, respectively; while the corresponding rates were 57.48%, 40.23%, 29.53% in vivo respectively. The degradation rate of chitosan scaffold was negatively correlated to deacetylated degree. Furthermore, it showed that the speed of degradation in vivo was faster than that in vitro. We concluded that controlling the deacetylated degree of chitosan can provide a well-matched degradable scaffold material for the reparation of cartilage defects.

Beverage Consumption of Children and Adolescents Aged 6-17 Years - China, 2016-2017.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC?: Beverage consumption has become a problematic dietary behavior in children and adolescents. Excessive drinking of beverages, especially sugary beverages, can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, dental cavities, and diabetes. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: This report revealed the beverage consumption rate was higher in males, in urban areas, and adolescents aged 12-17 years. The top three beverages by consumption rate were carbonated beverages (33.2%), milk-containing beverages (25.0%), and non-100% fruit and vegetable beverages (23.5%). Children and adolescents in China consumed beverages at a primary frequency rate of 1-3 times/week. Among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years who consumed beverages, the average amount was 193.8 g/d, and was higher in males (210.6 g/d), those in urban areas (204.7 g/d), and adolescents aged 12-17 years (259.0 g/d). WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: Children and adolescents are key periods of life to develop healthy dietary behaviors for individuals. The consumption of beverages by Chinese children and adolescents has shown to increase year over year. Parents, schools, and governments need to prioritize promoting health consumption of beverasges.

Tissue-engineered esophagus: recellular esophageal extracellular matrix based on perfusion-decellularized technique and mesenchymal stem cells.

Perfusion-decellularization was an interesting technique to generate a natural extracellular matrix (ECM) with the complete three-dimensional anatomical structure and vascular system. In this study, the esophageal ECM (E-ECM) scaffold was successfully constructed by perfusion-decellularized technique through the vascular system for the first time. And the physicochemical and biological properties of the E-ECM scaffolds were evaluated. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were induced to differentiate into myocytesin vitro. E-ECM scaffolds reseeded with myocytes were implanted into the greater omenta to obtain recellular esophageal ECM (RE-ECM), a tissue-engineered esophagus. The results showed that the cells of the esophagi were completely and uniformly removed after perfusion. E-ECM scaffolds retained the original four-layer organizational structure and vascular system with excellent biocompatibility. And the E-ECM scaffolds had no significant difference in mechanical properties comparing with fresh esophagi,p> 0.05. Immunocytochemistry showed positive expression ofα-sarcomeric actin, suggesting that BMSCs had successfully differentiated into myocytes. Most importantly, we found that in the RE-ECM muscularis, the myocytes regenerated linearly and continuously and migrated to the deep, and the tissue vascularization was obvious. The cell survival rates at 1 week and 2 weeks were 98.5 ± 3.0% and 96.4 ± 4.6%, respectively. It was demonstrated that myocytes maintained the ability for proliferation and differentiation for at least 2 weeks, and the cell activity was satisfactory in the RE-ECM. It follows that the tissue-engineered esophagus based on perfusion-decellularized technique and mesenchymal stem cells has great potential in esophageal repair. It is proposed as a promising alternative for reconstruction of esophageal defects in the future.

Micropillar-based culture platform induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the alveolar epithelial cell line.

Topography and rigidity are two typical biophysical cues in extracellular matrix mechanical microenvironment. Extracellular matrix can regulate cells biological behaviors, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A growing body of evidence suggests that EMT plays an important role in the development of tumor and fibrosis. Moreover, EMT also contributes to drug resistance in cancer cells. Currently, the majority of studies about EMT are based on the induction of growth factors or cytokines in vitro. Here, we adopt polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-micropillars-based matrix platform to culture human alveolar epithelial cells for studying the influence of topography and rigidity on EMT. This study reports a previously undefined role of mechanical microenvironment in EMT induction. Different topography and rigidity can induce EMT directly without the use of exogenous cytokines. Notably, rigidity-induced EMT activation is associated with the topography. Furthermore, we investigate preliminarily the role of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in mechanical microenvironment regulation of EMT. These findings provide a fresh perspective to the researches of tumor and pulmonary fibrosis, and the potential platform for cell-based drug screening. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 3165-3174, 2018.

Malignant ameloblastoma (metastatic ameloblastoma) in the lung: 3 cases of misdiagnosis as primary lung tumor with a unique growth pattern.

Malignant ameloblastoma (metastatic ameloblastoma, MA) is currently defined as a distinct pathologic entity, MA, despite its histologically benign appearance. According to the new criteria, the histological and clinical features of MA are more homogenous. Here, we report three cases of histologically confirmed pulmonary MA. Two of the three patients complained of chest pain as the primary symptom, and the other case was detected upon the evaluation of pulmonary nodules found during a health examination after a local recurrence of mandible ameloblastoma. All three patients were female with an average age of 48 years. The intervals between the primary ameloblastoma and metastasis to the lung were 14 years, 19 years and 10 years, averaging 14.3 years. Prior to metastasis to the lung, only one patient experienced local recurrences, at 5 and 19 years after the primary tumor resection, while the other two patients both remained disease-free. Computed tomography (CT) or X-ray evaluation demonstrated multiple bilateral lung nodules ranging in size from several millimeters up to 2 cm. Histologically, the pulmonary metastatic tumors showed a unique growth pattern: the tumor cells grew among the interstitial alveoli but did not appear to destructively infiltrate the surrounding tissue. Immunohistochemically, the MA cells expressed squamous differentiation markers, such as CK10/13 and p63, while the alveolar epithelial cells stained for TTF1 and PE10. In this paper, we discuss the clinical behavior, differential diagnosis and unique growth pattern of pulmonary MA.

Novel layer-by-layer structured nanofibrous mats coated by protein films for dermal regeneration.

Layer-by-layer coating technique is effective in modifying the surface of nanofibrous mats, but overmuch film-coating makes the mats less porous to hardly suit the condition for tissue engineering. We developed novel nanofibrous mats layer-by-layer coated by silk fibroin and lysozyme on the cellulose electrospun template via electrostatic interaction. The film-coating assembled on the mats was not excessive because the charge of the proteins varied in the coating process due to different pH value. In addition, pure nature materials made the mats nontoxic, biodegradable and low-cost. The morphology and composition variation during layer-by-layer coating process was investigated and the results showed that the structure and thickness of film-coatings could be well-controlled. The antibacterial assay and in vitro cell experiments indicated that the mats could actively inhibit bacteria and exhibit excellent biocompatibility. In vivo implant assay further verified the mats cultured with human epidermal cells could promote wound healing and avoid wound infection. Therefore, these mats showed promising prospects when performed for dermal reconstruction.

Effect of PHB and oxygen uptake rate on nitrous oxide emission during simultaneous nitrification denitrification process.

Simultaneous nitrification denitrification (SND) process was achieved in a SBR system to evaluate the impacts of intracellular carbon source PHB and oxygen uptake rate (OUR) on nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emission. Compared with the sequential nitrification and denitrification (SQND) process, SND process significantly improved the nitrogen removal. N(2)O emission during SND process was much higher than the SQND process. The amount of N(2)O emission was 26.85 mg N per cycle in SND process, which was almost four times higher than that in SQND process. About 7.05% of the removed nitrogen during SND process was converted to N(2)O-N. N(2)O emission had great relations with the OUR and the OUR could reflect the N(2)O emission trend more exactly than the DO concentration. At the aerobic stage of SND, the simultaneous denitrification could carried out using PHB as the carbon source and N(2)O emission increased because of the slow degradation of PHB.