Meta-ecosystem Frameworks Can Enhance Control of the Biotic Transport of Microplastics.

The lack of systematic approaches and analyses to identify, quantify, and manage the biotic transport of microplastics (MPs) along cross-ecosystem landscapes prevents the current goals of sustainable environmental development from being met. This Perspective proposes a meta-ecosystem framework, which considers organismal and resource flows among ecosystems to shed light on the research and management challenges related to both abiotic and biotic MP transport at landscape levels. We discuss MP transport pathways through species movements and trophic transfers among ecosystems and sub-ecosystems, and highlight these pathways in the mitigation of MP pollution. The integration of biotic pathways across landscapes prioritizes management actions for MP transport using diverse approaches such as wastewater treatment and plastic removal policies to mitigate contamination. In addition, our framework emphasizes the potential sink enhancement of MPs through habitat conservation and enhancement of riparian vegetation. By considering the mechanisms of meta-ecosystem dynamics through the processes of biotic dispersal, accumulation, and the ultimate fate of MPs, advances in the environmental impact assessment and management of MP production can proceed more effectively.

Expression of osteonectin/secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine and matrix metalloproteinases in ameloblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Ameloblastoma is the most common clinically-significant epithelial odontogenic tumor, and is considered a benign but locally-aggressive tumor of the craniofacial region. Osteonectin/secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is induced in response to a number of biological processes such as tumor growth and metastasis, whereas matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade the extracellular matrix and participate in various biological processes including tumor invasion and metastasis. We hypothesize that SPARC acts with MMPs for the local invasiveness of ameloblastoma. The aim of this study was to examine the association of SPARC with MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in ameloblastoma. METHOD: Immunohistochemical expression of SPARC, MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 as well as co-expression of SPARC and MMP-9 were examined in a cohort of 23 cases of ameloblastoma. RESULTS: SPARC, MMP-1, -2, and -9 were detected in the cytoplasm of the ameloblastic-like columnar cells and stellate-reticulum-like cells as well as in the stromal tissues of fibroblasts and endothelial cells of our cohort of ameloblastoma patients. Furthermore, co-expression of SPARC and MMP-9 were found in 23 cases of ameloblastoma. This may be the first study to demonstrate that the expression level of SPARC was statistically correlated with MMP-9 but not with MMP-1 or -2 in ameloblastoma. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a putative association between SPARC and MMPs (especially MMP-9) in ameloblastoma to regulate tumor invasion.