Diving into the metabolic interactions of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in "Sparus aurata" and "Ruditapes philippinarum".

The biological response to nanomaterials exposure depends on their properties, route of exposure, or model organism. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are among the most used nanomaterials; however, concerns related to oxidative stress and metabolic effects resulting from their ingestion are rising. Therefore, in the present work, we addressed the metabolic effects of citrate-coated 45 nm TiO2 NPs combining bioaccumulation, tissue ultrastructure, and proteomics approaches on gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata and Japanese carpet shell, Ruditapes philippinarum. Sparus aurata was exposed through artificially contaminated feeds, while R. philippinarum was exposed using TiO2 NPs-doped microalgae solutions. The accumulation of titanium and TiO2 NPs in fish liver is associated with alterations in hepatic tissue structure, and alteration to the expression of proteins related to lipid and fatty acid metabolism, lipid breakdown for energy, lipid transport, and homeostasis. While cellular structure alterations and the expression of proteins were less affected than in gilthead seabream, atypical gill cilia and microvilli and alterations in metabolic-related proteins were also observed in the bivalve. Overall, the effects of TiO2 NPs exposure through feeding appear to stem from various interactions with cells, involving alterations in key metabolic proteins, and changes in cell membranes, their structures, and organelles. The possible appearance of metabolic disorders and the environmental risks to aquatic organisms posed by TiO2 NPs deserve further study.

Bioaccumulation, biodistribution, and transformation of polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silver nanoparticles in edible seaweeds.

Seaweeds are recognised as a potential eco-friendly food source. However, some species have shown the capacity to bioaccumulate many substances of diverse nature, such as inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), which may have potentially harmful effects on them. Among these NPs, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used to enhance the antifungal and antibacterial properties of the final consumer products, such as textiles and food packages. Their potential release into the aquatic environment raises significant concern, increasing the probability of interaction with aquatic biota, such as macroalgae. In this work, we investigated the differences in bioaccumulation, biodistribution, and transformation of NPs as a function of seaweed species. We selected polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated silver nanoparticles (PVP-AgNPs) as model NP since they remain colloidally stable in seawater, focusing the study only on single particles and not on aggregates. The study was conducted on two different seaweed species with high commercial interest and value as human food: the red seaweed Palmaria palmata and the green seaweed Ulva fenestrata. Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (spICP-MS) analysis showed high and similar bioaccumulation of PVP-AgNPs in both seaweeds, in the range of 109 NPs/g of seaweed. However, electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis demonstrated that their time-dependent distribution and transformation in the algal tissue, mainly dissolution and formation of sulfur-rich corona and/or sulfidation, highly depended on the seaweed type. These results indicate that special attention should be given to the presence and transformation of AgNPs in seaweeds intended for human consumption. Not only the dissolution degree but also the speciation of these NPs could heavily impact their bioaccessibility, bioavailability, biodistribution, and toxicity to humans after ingestion.

Detection of submicron- and nanoplastics spiked in environmental fresh- and saltwater with Raman spectroscopy.

Detection of small plastic particles in environmental water samples has been a topic of increasing interest in recent years. A multitude of techniques, such as variants of Raman spectroscopy, have been employed to facilitate their analysis in such complex sample matrices. However, these studies are often conducted for a limited number of plastic types in matrices with relatively little additional materials. Thus, much remains unknown about what parameters influence the detection limits of Raman spectroscopy for more environmentally relevant samples. To address this, this study utilizes Raman spectroscopy to detect six plastic particle types; 161 and 33 nm polystyrene, < 450 nm and 36 nm poly(ethylene terephthalate), 121 nm polypropylene, and 126 nm polyethylene; spiked into artificial saltwater, artificial freshwater, North Sea, Thames River, and Elbe River water. Overall, factors such as plastic particle properties, water matrix composition, and experimental setup were shown to influence the final limits of detection.

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy After Revascularisation Surgery in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Randomised Trial (PICO-Vasc Study).

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the potential benefits of using incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) for patients undergoing revascularisation due to peripheral arterial disease. METHODS: A prospective randomised controlled trial was conducted to compare the inguinal application of iNPWT vs. standard surgical dressings. Patients were enrolled from February 2021 to November 2022. A total of 133 groin incisions were randomised (66 intervention group, 67 control group). The randomisation sequence was carried out by permuted blocks and allocation assigned by opening opaque envelopes once the revascularisation procedure had finished. Wound healing and complication rates were assessed at post-operative days 5, 14, and 30. Primary and secondary endpoints were: 30 day post-operative surgical site infection (SSI) and surgical site occurrence (SSO) rates, defined as a surgical wound complication other than a SSI. Post-operative SSI was defined according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. SSO included: wound dehiscence, seroma or lymphocele, haematoma, and lymphorrhagia. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov database (NCT04840576) and reported according to the CONSORT guidelines. RESULTS: iNPWT did not modify the 30 day inguinal SSI and SSO rates (16.7% vs. 20.9% and 37.9% vs. 44.8%; p = .53, relative risk [RR] 0.999, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52 - 1.88 and p = .42, RR 1.29, 95% CI 0.89 - 1.86, respectively). It reduced the early SSO rate (19.7% vs. 35.8%; p = .044, RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.047 - 2.013) and post-operative seroma rate (4.6% vs. 19.4%; p = .014, RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.296 - 2.397). CONCLUSION: There were no differences in SSI and SSO rates, although statistically significant reductions in early SSO rates and seroma were found in the intervention group.

Submicron- and nanoplastic detection at low micro- to nanogram concentrations using gold nanostar-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.

The presence of submicron- (1 µm-100 nm) and nanoplastic (<100 nm) particles within various sample matrices, ranging from marine environments to foods and beverages, has become a topic of increasing interest in recent years. Despite this interest, very few analytical techniques are known that allow for the detection of these small plastic particles in the low concentration ranges that they are anticipated to be present at. Research focused on optimizing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to enhance signal obtained in Raman spectroscopy has been shown to have great potential for the detection of plastic particles below conventional resolution limits. In this study, we produce SERS substrates composed of gold nanostars and assess their potential for submicron- and nanoplastic detection. The results show 33 nm polystyrene could be detected down to 1.25 µg mL-1 while 36 nm poly(ethylene terephthalate) was detected down to 5 µg mL-1. These results confirm the promising potential of the gold nanostar-based SERS substrates for nanoplastic detection. Furthermore, combined with findings for 121 nm polypropylene and 126 nm polyethylene particles, they highlight potential differences in analytical performance that depend on the properties of the plastics being studied.

New versus naturally aged greenhouse cover films: Degradation and micro-nanoplastics characterization under sunlight exposure.

The understanding of microplastic degradation and its effects remains limited due to the absence of accurate analytical techniques for detecting and quantifying micro- and nanoplastics. In this study, we investigated the release of nanoplastics and small microplastics in water from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) greenhouse cover films under simulated sunlight exposure for six months. Our analysis included both new and naturally aged (used) cover films, enabling us to evaluate the impact of natural aging. Additionally, photooxidation effects were assessed by comparing irradiated and non-irradiated conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) confirmed the presence of particles below 1 µm in both irradiated and non-irradiated cover films. NTA revealed a clear effect of natural aging, with used films releasing more particles than new films but no impact of photooxidation, as irradiated and non-irradiated cover films released similar amounts of particles at each time point. Raman spectroscopy demonstrated the lower crystallinity of the released PE nanoplastics compared to the new films. Flow cytometry and total organic carbon data provided evidence of the release of additional material besides PE, and a clear effect of both simulated and natural aging, with photodegradation effects observed only for the new cover films. Finally, our results underscore the importance of studying the aging processes in both new and used plastic products using complementary techniques to assess the environmental fate and safety risks posed by plastics used in agriculture.

Tratamiento preoperatorio de las alteraciones de la coagulación en urgencias quirúrgicas / Preoperative treatment of coagulation disorders in emergency surgery

No disponible

No disponible

Hierro intravenoso / Intravenous iron

El hierro intravenoso representa una medida terapéutica eficaz y segura para corregir la anemia, y constituye una alternativa respecto a la transfusión sanguínea clínicamente demostrada. El presente artículo de revisión resume las principales características de los distintos preparados de hierro parenteral, sus ventajas, indicaciones, dosificación y efectos adversos. Asimismo, se analizan algunos de los principales estudios publicados sobre ferroterapia parenteral en Cirugía General y especialidades quirúrgicas afines, y se avanzan algunos datos sobre las nuevas formulaciones próximamente disponibles (AU)

Parenteral iron is a useful and safe therapeutic measure to treat anaemia, and is a proven clinical alternative to blood transfusion. This review article summarises the main characteristics of the different formulations of parenteral iron, their advantages, indications, dosages and adverse effects. Moreover, we analyse some of the most important published articles on parenteral iron therapy in General Surgery and other surgical specialties, as well as providing information about new formulations that will soon be available (AU)