LONP1 is the principal AAA+ unfoldase and bulk protease in the mitochondrial matrix, so its deletion causes embryonic lethality. The AAA+ unfoldase CLPX and the peptidase CLPP also act in the matrix, conspicuously during stress periods, but their substrates are poorly defined. Mammalian CLPP deletion triggers infertility, deafness, growth retardation, and cGAS-STING activated cytosolic innate immunity. CLPX mutations impair heme biosynthesis and heavy metal homeostasis. CLPP and CLPX are conserved from bacteria to human, despite their secondary role for proteolysis. Based on recent proteomic-metabolomic evidence from knockout mice and patient cells, we propose that CLPP acts on phase-separated ribonucleoprotein granules, and CLPX on multi-enzyme condensates, near the inner mitochondrial membrane, as first-aid system. Trimming within assemblies, CLPP rescues stalled processes in mitoribosomes, in mitochondrial RNA granules and nucleoids, and in D-foci-mediated degradation of toxic double-stranded mtRNA / mtDNA. Unfolding multi-enzyme condensates, CLPX maximizes PLP-dependent delta-transamination, and rescues malformed nascent peptides. Overall, their actions occur in granules with multivalent or hydrophobic interactions, separated from the aqueous phase. Thus, the role of CLPXP in the matrix is compartment-selective, like peptidases MPP at precursor import pores, m-AAA and i-AAA at either IMM face, PARL within the IMM, and OMA1/HTRA2 in the intermembrane space.

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of radiation dose on the outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for benign meningiomas and determine an optimal dosing strategy for balancing tumor control and treatment-related toxicity. Clinical data of 147 patients with 164 lesions treated between 2014 and 2022 were reviewed. Primary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), local control rate (LCR), and radiation-induced toxicity, with secondary outcomes focusing on LCR and radiation-induced peritumoral edema (PTE) in two dose groups (≥14 Gy and <14 Gy). Results revealed a median follow-up duration of 47 months, with 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year PFS rates of 99.3%, 96.7%, and 93.8% respectively, and an overall LCR of 95.1%. Radiation-induced toxicity was observed in 24.5% of patients, primarily presenting mild symptoms. Notably, no significant difference in LCR was found between the two dose groups (P = 0.628), while Group 2 (<14 Gy) exhibited significantly lower PTE (P = 0.039). The study concludes that SRS with a radiation dose <14 Gy demonstrates comparable tumor control with reduced toxicity, advocating for consideration of such dosing to achieve a balance between therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Tailings generated by mining account for the largest proportion of global waste from industrial activities. Copper is relatively uncommon world-wide, with low concentrations in sediments and waters, yet is very elevated around mining sites. On the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, USA, jutting out into Lake Superior, 140 mines extracted native copper from the Portage Lake Volcanic Series, part of an intercontinental rift system. Between 1901-1932, two mills at Gay (Mohawk, Wolverine) sluiced 22.7 million metric tonnes (MMT) of copper-rich tailings (stamp sands) into Grand (Big) Traverse Bay. Here we examine: 1) 3D coastal elevation and reef bathymetry, 2) particle dispersal, 3) copper concentrations and leaching, plus 4) shoreline toxicity. About 10 MMT of tailings created a migrating coastal beach that stretches 7 km from the Gay pile to the Traverse River Seawall. Another 10 MMT are moving underwater on the coastal shelf, threatening Buffalo Reef, an important lake trout and whitefish breeding ground. Aerial photos, ALS (plane) LiDAR, and relatively inexpensive UAS (drone) surveys characterize shoreline structure and aid initial remediation. Because sands (natural beach quartz, stamp sand basalt) are silicates of similar density, particle dispersal is similar and challenging. However, stamp sand beaches contrast greatly with natural sand beaches in both physical profile and chemistry. Dispersing particles retain copper, and release toxic concentrations. Leaching is elevated by exposure to high DOC and low pH waters. Field experiments, shoreline seining, and benthic sampling confirm serious impacts on aquatic biota, supporting tailings removal.

Analysing the human body by direct observation can lead to misinterpretation of underlying trends, whereas in vitro organ models facilitate their understanding. Likewise, in vitro organ models serve as valuable tools for assessing the toxicity of compounds. However, none of the existing models had the features we considered critical for toxicity assessment, so we developed an in vitro liver model for toxicity assessment. We used four different types of primary liver cells: Hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. We cultured them in different combinations of composition and volume of cell medium, hepatocyte proportion of total cells, and addition of extracellular matrix. We added rifampicin, ibuprofen and 5-fluorouracil to this model and observed the microanatomy and physiology changes for a week with preclinical and clinical instruments. Among the different model configurations, we selected the feature combination of the in vitro model that had similar biomarker values to those measured by the clinical instruments used in clinical diagnostics. When we exposed the selected model configuration to rifampicin, ibuprofen and 5-fluorouracil, the viability of Kupffer cells and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells was significantly lower than in the untreated samples. In contrast, we observed negligible viability of hepatocytes compared to the untreated samples. We have built an in vitro liver model that resembles the liver microenvironment and we have analysed it with clinical instrumentation to facilitate the data translation. In this sense, we have established that Kupffer and LSEC cells are suitable candidates for the search for clinical diagnostic markers of liver function.

Drugs are known to cause substantial liver injury, with hepatotoxicity ranging from asymptomatic increase of liver enzymes to hepatic failure. HIV/AIDS patients, with compromised immune systems, are especially vulnerable to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis (TB). Patients with co-infection frequently get combined antiretroviral (ART) and antitubercular (ATD) regimens, which can cause hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity has been linked to commonly administered antiretroviral drug regimens as well as first-line antitubercular agents such isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide, which are required for the treatment of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis. As a result, there is an urgent need to investigate treatments based from traditional herbs known for their hepatoprotective abilities against ART and ATD-induced liver injury. Many researchers have investigated the effectiveness of medicinal plants in treating chemically caused hepatotoxicity. Medicinal plants are high in phytochemicals and secondary metabolites, both of which have a variety of medicinal benefits. Currently, there is a lack of specific therapeutic regimens to address this adverse effect, and management often relies on symptomatic treatment or therapy withdrawal. Traditional medicinal plants may have the potential to restore normal liver function, enzyme activity, and cellular structure in response to ART and ATD-induced hepatotoxicity. This review aims to examine the scientific evidence supporting the use of medicinal plants as hepatoprotective agents against liver damage induced by ART and ATDs.

The objective of the this study was to reduce the benzo[a]pyrene-induced hepatotoxicity method in herbal medicine products and to give proof that neferine, daidzein, genistein possess antihepa-totoxic effects. B[a]P which classified as a group 1 carcinogen and metabolized to B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) causes mutagenic DNA addition products. The reduc-tion of BPDE-DNA adduct formation by B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) was derived by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). In HepG2 cells, B[a]P exhibited toxicity and substance treatment of the cells with B[a]P with neferine in lotus and daidzein, genistein in soybean reduced the BPDE-DNA ad-ducts level. The level of B[a]P-metabolites in the substance treatment of the cells was presented that BPDE levels were reduced by neferine in lotus and daidzein, genisten in soybean. These results suggest that neferine in lotus and daidzein, genistein in soybean prevent B[a]P-induced hepato-toxicity for BPDE-DNA adduct formation.

As Li-ion batteries use is spreading, incidents in large energy storage systems (stationary storage containers, …) or in large-scale cell and battery storages (warehouse, recyclers, …), often leading to fire, are occurring on regular basis. Water remains one of the most efficient fire extinguishing agents for tackling those battery incidents and large quantities are usually necessary. Since bat-teries contains various potentially harmful components (metals and their oxides or salts, sol-vents…) and that thermal runway induced battery incidents are accompanied with complex and potentially multistage fume emissions (containing both gas and particles) the potential impact of fire run-off water on the environment should be considered and assessed carefully. The tests presented in this paper focus on the analysis of the composition of run-off waters used to spray NMC Li-ion modules under thermal runaway. It highlights that waters used for fire-fighting are susceptible to contain many metals, including Ni, Mn, Co, Li and Al mixed with other carbonaceous species (soot, tarballs) and sometimes undecomposed solvents used in the elec-trolyte. Extra-polation of pollutant concentrations compared with PNEC values showed that, for large scale incidents, run-off water could be potentially hazardous to the environment.

Spherical or hexagonal NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles (UCNPs) with sizes of 25 nm (S-UCNPs) and 120 nm (L-UCNPs) were synthesized by high-temperature coprecipitation and subsequently modified with three kinds of polymers. These included poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide-co-2-aminoethylacrylamide) [P(DMA-AEA)] terminated with an alendronate anchoring group, and poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) (PMVEMA). The internalization of nanoparticles by rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) and C6 cancer cells was visualized by electron microscopy and the cytotoxicity of the UCNPs and their leaches was measured by the real time proliferation assay. Comet assay was used to determine oxidative damage of UCNPs. In vivo study on mice determined the elimination route and potential accumulation of UCNPs in the body. The results showed that the L- and S-UCNPs were internalized into cells in the lumen of endosomes. Proliferation assay revealed that L-UCNPs were less toxic than S-UCNPs. The viability of rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) incubated with particles decreased in the order S-UCNP@Ale-(PDMA-AEA) > S-UCNP@Ale-PEG > S-UCNPs > S-UCNP@PMVEMA. Similar results were obtained in C6 cells. Oxidative damage measured by the Comet assay showed that neat L-UCNPs caused oxidative damage to rMSCs more than all coated UCNPs while no difference was observed in C6 cells. An in vivo study indicated that L-UCNPs were eliminated from the body via the hepatobiliary route; L-UCNP@Ale-PEG particles were almost eliminated from the liver 96 h after intravenous application. Pilot fluorescence imaging confirmed the limited in vivo detection capabilities of the nanoparticles.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia whose prevalence rises with age and is linked to increased morbidity and mortality due to the risk of thromboembolism. Management typically involves anticoagulation and rhythm control, but the treatment of elderly patients with multiple comorbidities requires careful consideration of drug side effects and interactions. Cibenzoline, a Vaughan-Williams class IA antiarrhythmic, is effective against AF but has risks of toxicity, especially in older people and those with renal impairment, due to its renal excretion and prolonged half-life in these populations. Discussion: This paper presents a case of an 80-year-old woman with paroxysmal AF who suffered cardiac arrest due to cibenzoline toxicity despite receiving standard adjusted dosages. The patient's cibenzoline blood concentration was significantly higher than the therapeutic range, leading to cardiotoxicity, which was exacerbated by drug interactions with bisoprolol and edoxaban, both metabolized by the CYP3A4 enzyme. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) successfully managed the cardiac arrest. This case emphasizes the unpredictable pharmacokinetics of cibenzoline in elderly patients with renal impairment and the need for vigilant therapeutic drug monitoring to avoid adverse events. Conclusions: Cibenzoline can pose a significant risk of severe toxicity in elderly patients with renal impairment, and drug interactions may potentiate this risk. The paper underscores the importance of careful dose adjustment and monitoring of drug levels in this population. In cases of cibenzoline-induced cardiac arrest, V-A ECMO and IABP are effective treatment modalities. The case study serves as a critical reminder for clinicians to remain vigilant for drug-induced complications and to apply aggressive supportive treatments when necessary.

: Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are becoming an increasingly severe global problem due to their widespread distribution and complex impact on living organisms. Apart from their environmental impact, the effects of MNPs on living organisms have also continued to attract attention. The harmful impact of MNPs has been extensively documented in marine invertebrates and larger marine vertebrates like fish. However, the research on the toxicity of these particles on mammals is still limited, and their possible effects on humans are poorly understood. Considering that MNPs are commonly found in food or food packaging, humans are primarily exposed to them through ingestion. It would be valuable to investigate the potential harmful effects of these particles on gut health. This review focuses on recent research exploring the toxicological impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on the gut, as observed in human cell lines and mammalian models. Available data from various studies indicate that the accumulation of MNPs in mammalian models and human cells may result in adverse consequences, in terms of epithelial toxicity, immune toxicity, and disruption of gut microbiota. The paper also discusses the current research limitations and prospects in this field, aiming to provide a scientific basis and reference for further studies on the toxic mechanisms of micro- and nanoplastics.

The most frequent cause of cardiac failure globally is ischemic heart disease, with chemothera-py-related cardiovascular side effects emerging as the second most frequent cause. Cancer therapy can result in acute cardiac events, such as coronary artery spasm, acute myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, myocarditis, bradycardia, tachyarrhythmias, atrio-ventricular blocks, QT pro-longation, torsades de pointes, pericardial effusion and hypotension, as well as chronic conditions, such as hypertension, systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction presenting clinically as heart failure or cardiomyopathy. In cardio-oncology, when referring to cardiac toxicity and cardiovas-cular hypersensitivity, there is a great deal of misunderstanding. When a dose-related cardiovas-cular side effect continues even after the causative medication is stopped, it is referred to as cardi-otoxicity. A fibrotic response is the ultimate outcome of cardiac toxicity, which is defined as a dose-related cardiovascular adverse impact that lasts even after the causative treatment is stopped. Cardiotoxicity can occur after a single or brief exposure. On the other hand, the term cardiac or cardiovascular hypersensitivity describes an inflammatory reaction that is not dose-dependent, can occur at any point during therapy, even with very low medication dosages, and can show up as Kounis syndrome. It may also be accompanied by anti-drug antibodies and tryptase levels. In this comprehensive review, we present the current views on cardiac toxicity and cardiovascular hypersensitivity, together with the reviewed cardiac literature on the chemotherapeutic agents inducing hypersensitivity reactions. Cardiac hypersensitivity seems to be the pathophysiologic basis of coronary artery spasm, acute coronary syndromes such as Kounis syndrome and myocardi-tis caused by cancer therapy.

Inflammation is a cause of number of disorders. Many anti-inflammatory drugs are available to cure and prevent inflammation and its related disorders. Some of the drugs are from plant and animal origin. Among animals snake venom is also utilized as treatment option of certain disorders. In the current study the venom of N. oxiana from Northern areas of Pakistan is assayed to determine its anti-inflammatory activity. The Naja oxiana is also called central Asian cobra is endemic to Central Asia. Naja oxiana belong to family Elapidae and it is highly venomous snake. The venom has many enzymatic proteins as well as nonenzymatic proteins that is neurotoxins. The venom is lethal having very high mortality rate and the death may occur due to respiratory failure in 45 minutes to 24 hrs depending upon the nature and amount of venom. As the venom is highly toxic so initially after venom milking its protein estimation was done and toxicity profile and LD50 was determined to find out its therapeutic dose at which anti-inflammatory activity was observed. The toxicity and anti-inflammatory activity was determined on mice model. Inflammation was induced by carrageenan induced peritonitis method. The inflammatory markers ROS, TNF-α and IL-β were determined by ELIZA in peritoneal fluid. The LD50 of crude venom, fraction 1 and fraction 2 was found as 34 µg/kg, 7.4 µg/kg and 416 µg/kg respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity crude venom, fraction 1 and fraction 2 was found at dose 19 µg/kg, 1.8 µg/kg and 267 µg/kg respectively. The levels of inflammatory markers reduced after therapeutic dose administration of venom and its fractions that indicates that it can be utilized as anti-inflammatory agent and so can be effective in various disorders.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a type of new material resources, which have attracted significant attention in recent years. REEs have emerged as essential metals in modern-day technology due to their unique functions. Long-term large-scale mining and utilization of rare earths have caused serious environmental pollution and constitutes a global health issue, which raised concerns about human health safety. However, the toxicity profile of suspended particulate matter of REEs in the environment interacts with the human body in remain largely unknown. Studies have shown that REEs can enter the human body through a variety of pathways, leading to a variety of organ and system dysfunctions through changes in genetics, epigenetics, and signaling pathways. Through an extensive literature search and critical analysis, we provide a comprehensive overview of the available evidence, identify knowledge gaps, and make recommendations for future research directions.

Microalgae are highly attractive to various industrial sectors and can serve as indicators of aquatic environmental health. An essential step for cultivating microalgae is assessing the cell density, which is traditionally performed through viable cell counting by optical microscopy (OM). However, this method has some limitations, such as the time involved in the process of counting, and the need for specialized training of laboratory personnel. Spectrophotometry is an affordable alternative, especially when applied to culture growth and toxicological tests. We chose the wavelength of 680 nm to detect the optical density (OD) of the green freshwater microalga Desmodesmus subspicatus and green the marine microalga Tetraselmis sp. The correlation between the number of cells and OD was suitable for both microalgae and accuracy was comparable to traditional OM counting. In toxicological tests, the OD technique allowed the monitoring of microalgal growth in the presence of the chemicals potassium dichromate, potassium chloride and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with results very close to those reported in the scientific literature. This study sheds light on this well-known technique, which is an important contribution since few articles have explored its potentialities and fragilities, showing the successful application to monitoring green microalgal cultures and toxicological assays.

Objective: In this work, we evaluated the chemical composition by chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, antimicrobial and insecticidal activity of essential oils (TrEO) and nanoeffu-sion (NTrEO) of oil from Tetradenia riparia leaves. We also evaluated the acute toxicity in Mus musculus. The results showed that S. aureus showed greater susceptibility to TrEO, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 125 µg.mL-1, when compared to P. aeruginosa, E. coli, which presented a MIC of 250 µg.mL-1. There was a greater toxic effect on TrEO (LC50 = 630.29 µg.mL-1) and NTrEO (LC50 = 713.68 µg.mL-1) larvae, effect on pupae (LC50 = 630.29 µg.mL-1) and NTrEO (LC50 = 713.68 µg.mL-1) and ovicide (LC50 = 631.184 µg.mL-1) and NTrEO (LC50 = 146.701 µg.mL-1) of Ae. aegypti after 24 h of exposure, when compared to other exposure periods. Chemical analysis re-vealed 20 components, aromadendrene oxide (23.47%) being the main component. Female and male mice were used to assess toxicity and oral administration of NTrEO to mice did not result in acute toxicity. Thus, the essential oil of T. riparia and its nanoemulsion have insecticidal and an-timicrobial potential for Ae. aegypti, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and has a high toxicological safety threshold at the concentrations evaluated in this study.

Natural products from medicinal plants, either as pure compounds or as standardized extracts, provide unlimited opportunities for new drug leads because of the unmatched availability of chemical diversity. The objects of the study are medicinal plant raw materials Saussurea sordida Kar&Kir and Saussurea alpina DC. collected from South Kazakhstan during the flowering period in the spring-summer months of 2021. The present study was aimed to investigate the toxic effects acute administration of ethanol extracts from plants S. sordida and S. alpina in male Wistar rats. The ethanol extract by subjected to Phytochemical Screening, Fourier transform infrared spec-troscopy (FTIR) analysis. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of phenolic compounds. FT-IR spectroscopic analysis revealed various characteristic band values with various functional groups in the formulation extract such as amines, alcohol, phenol, alkane, alkene, and conjugated acid groups. FT-IR analysis of peak values with various functional compounds such as alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, amides, amino acids, anhydrides, esters, ketones, unsaturated aliphatic, aromatics, unsaturated heterocycles, amines, nitro compound, alkanes, al-kenes and sugars. Histological examination of organ samples after studying the chronic toxicity of ex-tracts of two plant species (S. sordida . and S. alpina) revealed no pathological changes. The acute toxicity study revealed no lethal effects and behavioral signs of toxicity at the tested doses indicating that LD50 is greater than 2000 mg/kg. These results show low toxicity of on short-term use and liver toxicity on long-term use. This study helps to predict the formula and structure of active molecules which can be used as medicinal drugs. This result also enhances the traditional usage of S. sordida and S. alpina , which possesses a number of bioactive compounds.

Microplastic pollution represents an emerging problem of great interest in the public domain in the last decade; in addition, it overlaps with another delicate problem - pollution with pharmaceutical products that can have negative effects on the environment and people, even in small amounts. The main purpose of this study was to assess the biochemical and behavioral effects of exposure of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and valproic acid (VPA), respectively to their mixtures - possible situations in natural aquatic environments. In terms of behavioral responses, sociability appears to be more impaired in the PP group after 5 days of exposure. The mechanisms affected are more those of swimming performance than of sociability. Even more, VPA increases presence in the arm with conspecifics but decreases mobility and locomotion, indicating a possible anxiety mechanism. The mixtures decrease the aggressiveness, especially in the case of the PE+VPA group, where it reaches a super low level compared to the control, which could endanger the species in nature. Regarding the anxiogenic effect, PP and PE act differently, if PE has an anxiogenic effect, on the opposite side is the PP group, which shows a bolder and more agitated behavior. All four variants showed behavioral changes indicative of toxicity from the first dose.

Currently, the most promising work seems to be aimed not so much at the development of new drugs, but rather at creating ways of targeted delivery of existing drugs. In this paper, we show that polymeric micelles based on chitosan, heparin grafted with lipoic and oleic acids residues demonstrate the potential for doxorubicin delivery to tumors due to pH-, glutathione-sensitivity. Smart delivery systems use the Aikido principle, i.e. they target tumor cells according to their features. Natural polysaccharides (heparin and chitosan) provide the pH sensitivity of micelles: the release of doxorubicin (Dox) is enhanced in a slightly acidic environment (model tumor microenvironment). Fatty acid residues are necessary for the formation of micelles and solubilization of cytostatics in a hydrophobic core. Lipoic acid residues formed a labile S-S cross-linking between polymer chains (the first method), and also covalently attached doxorubicin molecules through glutathione-sensitive S-S bridges (the second option) – determine Redox sensitivity of micelles to tumors. The characterization of polymeric micelles and prodrugs (Dox-polymer) was carried out using FTIR spectroscopy. The release of doxorubicin from micelles occurs slowly (20% / 6h) in an environment with a pH of 7.4 and the absence of glutathione, while in a slightly acidic environment and in the presence of 10 mM glutathione, the rate increases up 6 times, with an increase in the effective concentration up to 5 times after 7 h. The permeability of free doxorubicin, micellar formulations (covalent S-S crosslinked and not) into Raji, K562, A875 cancer cells was studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), demonstrated an increase in the permeability of micellar formulations based on Dox. Thus, we have presented micellar formulations of doxorubicin for targeted delivery to tumor, what is important in the aspects of reducing non-target toxicity, increasing the selectivity of cytostatics against tumors and overcome multidrug resistance.

The expansion of copper mining on the hyper-arid pacific slope of southern Peru has precipitated growing concern for scarce water resources in the region. Located in the headwaters of the Torata river, in the department of Moquegua, the Cuajone mine, owned by Southern Copper, provides a unique opportunity, in a little-studied region, to examine the relative impact of the landscape-scale mining on water resources in the region. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis of the water chemistry data from 16 sites, collected over three seasons during 2017 and 2018, show distinct statistical groupings indicating that, above the settlement of Torata, water geochemistry is a function of chemical weathering processes acting upon underlying geological units, and confirming that the Cuajone mine does not significantly affect water quality in the Torata river. Impact mitigation strategies that firstly divert channel flow around the mine and secondly divert mine waste to the Toquepala river and tailings dam at Quebrada Honda, below the Toquepala mine, in the department of Tacna, secure water quality in the Torata river for the foreseeable future. In the greater Moquegua river catchment, our results further suggest that water quality has been more significantly impacted by urban effluents and agricultural runoff than the Cuajone mine. The increase in total dissolved solids in the waters of the lower catchment reflects the cumulative addition of dissolved ions through chemical weathering of the underlying geological units, supplemented by rapid recharge of surface waters contaminated by residues associated with agricultural and urban runoff through the porous alluvial aquifer. Concentrations in some of the major ions exceeded internationally recommended maxima for agricultural use, especially in the coastal region. Occasionally, arsenic and manganese contamination also reached unsafe levels for domestic consumption. In the lower catchment, below the Cuajone mine, data and multivariate analyses point to urban effluents and agricultural run-off rather than weathering of exposed rock units, natural or otherwise, as the main cause of contamination.

Human exposure to foodborne inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) is a growing concern. However, identifying potential hazards linked to NP ingestion often requires long-term exposure in animals. Owing these constraints, intestinal organoids are a promising alternative to in vivo experiments, as such an in vitro approach should enable rapid and reliable assessment of the effects on the gut of ingested chemicals. However, this remains to be validated for inorganic substances. In our study, a transcriptomic analysis and immunofluorescence staining were performed to compare the effects of food-grade TiO2 (fg-TiO2) on enteroid-derived monolayers (EDMs) from murine intestinal organoids to known impacts of TiO2 on intestinal epithelium. After validating their ability to dose-dependently respond to a pro-inflammatory cytokine cocktail, EDMs were exposed to 0.1, 1 or 10 µg fg-TiO2/mL for 24h. In line with known data, a dose-related increase of muc2, vilin 1 and chromogranin A gene markers of cell differentiation was observed. In addition, fg-TiO2 induced apoptosis and dose-dependent genotoxicity, while a decreased expression of genes encoding for antimicrobial peptides, and of genes related to tight junction function was observed. These results validated the use of EDMs as a reliable model for toxicity testing of foodborne NPs likely to affect the intestinal barrier.

Many public health-related problems, such as dengue diseases, are caused by the vector Aedes aegypti. The proliferation of arboviruses is due to climate change, intensifying globalization, and the evolution of anthropic activities such as travel from one place to another. This paper's objective is to develop larvicidal activities against the larvae of Ae. aegypti. Standard methods were utilized for the collection, extraction and phytochemical screening of the plant parts and extracts. Different extract concentrations (1000, 500, 250, and 125 ppm) were tested against the larvae of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. The different toxicities observed were due to changes in the compounds present in each of the plant extracts. The most toxic plant extracts were Nepeta cataria stem, followed by Salvia rosmarinus leaf, Salvia rosmarinus stem, Ageratum conyzoides stem, Lantana camara leaf, and Mentha pulegium leaf, six plant including Nepeta cataria leaf, Psidium guajava leaf, Cymbopogon citratus leaf, Ocimum gratissimum stem, Mentha piperita leaf, Ageratum houstonianum leaf showed same LD50, followed by Lantana camara stem, Melissa officinalis root, Nepeta cataria root, and at the same concentration, no larval death was recorded for these five plant extracts, including Mentha pulegium stem, Mentha piperita L. (peppermint) stem, Azadirachta indica (neem) leaf, Geranium leaf, and Azadirachta indica (neem) stem . Seven phytochemical constituents (saponins, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, resins, and steroids) were detected for plant extracts. Nigerian medicinal plants could be used to curb the spread of the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, and also have potential for further study on the constituents responsible for adulticidal activity.

Benzimidazole fungicides are a class of highly effective, low-toxicity, systemic broad-spectrum fungicides developed in the 1960s and 1970s, based on the fungicidal activity of the benzimidazole ring structure. They exhibit biological activities including anticancer, antibacterial, and antiparasitic effects. Due to their particularly outstanding antibacterial properties, they are widely used in agriculture to prevent and control various plant diseases caused by fungi. The main products of benzimidazole fungicides include benomyl, carbendazim, thiabendazole, albendazole, thiophanate, thiophanate-methyl, fuberidazole, carbamic acid, and carbendazim salicylate. This article mainly reviews the physicochemical properties, toxicological properties, and disease control efficacy, and pesticide residue and detection technologies of the aforementioned nine benzimidazole fungicides and their main metabolite (2-aminobenzimidazole). On this basis, a brief outlook on the future research directions of benzimidazole fungicides is presented.

Studies at the molecular, systemic, and epidemiological levels have shown that chronic metal exposure is linked to significant health consequences, including cancer, affecting hundreds of millions worldwide. Subtle and convoluted mechanisms underline metals' toxicity and carcinogenicity. The use of sensors for carcinogenic metals' trace detection is on the rise due to their selectivity, simplicity, and affordability. Biotechnology and microelectronics in the development of sensors have grown complementarily in recent years. This study offers a comprehensive overview of current research and advancements in developing sensors for detecting carcinogenic metals. Here, we have focussed on the developed biosensor platforms for group 1 carcinogens, i.e., arsenic, nickel, cadmium, chromium, and beryllium, along with their brief roles in human carcinogenesis. This review also looks at the importance of sensing such metal exposure in humans from a larger perspective, hoping to influence future research toward early prevention and treatment of illnesses like cancer.

Pesticides are among the most widely used synthetic chemicals worldwide to protect crops, but besides being beneficial, they pose several environmental and health issues. The present study evaluates toxic effects of acetamiprid (ACMP) in rat liver and kidney tissues. Rats were exposed to ACMP (21.7 mg/kg b.wt; 1/10th LD50) for 21 days. Oxidative stress generation, apoptotic progression, and structural changes were evaluated via biochemical assays, semi-quantitative PCR, western blotting, and histopathology. ACMP exposure significantly decreased body weight and altered relative organ weight in hepato-renal tissues. Significant oxidative stress was evident by increased oxidative injuries to lipids and proteins and alterations of endogenous anti-oxidative enzymes. The administration of ACMP upregulated mRNA expression of Bax and caspase-3, while downregulated the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 and released cytochrome c into the cytosol of the liver and kidney tissues. Likewise, exposure to ACMP caused severe degenerative changes in the histo-architecture of hepato-renal tissues. The results of the present study confirmed the toxicity of ACMP in rats’ liver and kidney tissues and emphasized the need for strict regulation and more mechanistic understanding to delineate the toxicity of ACMP in mammals.

ABSTRACT Heavy metals have been classified as dangerous environmental pollutants. Interest in feasible ways to reduce heavy metals pollution is a noble goal. Adsorption is an effective method based on its effectiveness and low- cost. Nowadays, low-cost bio-sorbents have been utilized to replace costly expensive adsorbents. Rich cellulose materials are effective heavy metal adsorbents, and their performance can be enhanced via chemical modification. The present work reviews the steady progress in the utilization of agriculture by-product wastes as heavy metal bio-sorbent. The unique advantages of these by-products such as renewability, abundance, simple processing, and low cost, justifier this work. The results confirm that the chemically treated agro-wastes exhibit high- removal efficiency (reaches 95% in most cases). The adsorption isotherm studies indicate that the concentration of the metal ions has a significant effect on the adsorption process. The Freundlich model provides a physical adsorption model of the metal ions on the bio-sorbent surface. Langmuir isotherm offers an estimate of the effect of different factors on the efficiency of the process. The adsorption kinetics studies offer an idea of reaction pathways including the adsorption mechanism and the efficiency of the metal ion removal. Applying the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models describes the adsorption kinetics. This information can be utilized in developing effective strategies to remove heavy metal ions using chemically treated agro-waste. The data confirmed that chemical modification is a significant parameter in the efficiency of metal ion removal. The feasibility and effectiveness of using these cellulosic by-products as bio-sorbent should be given attention and encouraged.

Despite widespread industrial use, the environmental safety of Hydroquinone (HQ), a benzene compound from plants used in processes like cosmetics, remains uncertain. This study evaluated the ecotoxicological impact of HQ on soil and river environments, utilizing non-target indicator organisms from diverse trophic levels: Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri, Allium cepa, and Eisenia fetida. For a more environmentally realistic assessment, microbial communities from a river and un-treated soil underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with growth and changes in community-level physiological profiling assessed using Biolog EcoPlate™ assays. The water indicator D. magna exhibited the highest sensitivity to HQ (EC50 = 0.142 µg/mL), followed by V. fischeri (EC50 = 1.446 µg/mL), and A. cepa (LC50 = 7.631 µg/mL), while E. fetida showed the highest resistance (EC50 = 234 mg/Kg). Remarkably, microbial communities mitigated HQ impact in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. River microorganisms displayed minimal inhibition, except for a significant re-duction in polymer metabolism at the highest concentration (100 µg/mL). Soil communities demonstrated resilience up to 100 µg/mL, beyond which there was a significant decrease in population growth and the capacity to metabolize carbohydrates and polymers. Despite microbial mitigation, HQ remains highly toxic to various trophic levels, emphasizing the necessity for en-vironmental regulations.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) can be used as carrier materials for the controlled release of pesticides while reducing their negative environmental impact. In this study, we screened an active ingredient, p-cymene (PC), with an excellent inhibitory effect on rice bacterial blight. Subsequently, the PC was successfully loaded onto MSNs via physisorption(PC@MSNs). PC@MSNs, characterized by a regular spherical shape, smooth surface, and an MSN average size of 262.9 nm, achieved an 8.6 % drug loading capacity. The release kinetics of the PC from the PC@MSNs demonstrated a sustained release (288 h) pattern influenced by drug diffusion. The efficacy of the PC@MSNs against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae paralleled those of PC. Acute toxicity assays re-vealed that the PC@MSNs were less toxic to aquatic life (LC50=257.867 mg/L) and that the formu-lation showed no adverse effects on rice seedling growth. In summary, these results suggest that PC@MSNs can broaden PC's application scope in managing rice diseases.

Curcumin attracts a huge attention because of its biological properties: antiproliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and so on. However, its usage has been limited by poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Herein, to solve these problems we developed curcumin-loaded nanoparticles based on end-capped amphiphilic poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone). Nanoparticles were obtained using the suspension method and were characterized by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The average particle size was 200 nm, and ζ-potential was -4 mV. Curcumin release studies showed that nanoparticles are stable in water solution. In vitro release study showed prolonged action in gastric, intestinal and colonic fluids, consistently and in PBS. In vitro studies on epidermoid carcinoma and human embryonic kidney cells showed that the cells absorbed more curcumin in nanoparticles compared to pure curcumin. Nanoparticles are safe for healthy cells and show high cytotoxicity for glioblastoma cells in cytotoxicity studies in vitro. Median lethal dose was determined in acute toxicity assay on Zebrafish and was 23 μM. Overall, the curcumin-loaded nanoparticles seem promising for cancer treatment.

This study centered on examining 60 different antibiotics by assessing their primary toxicity parameters through the pkCSM database. The parameters included Max. Tolerated Dose (Human) (log mg/kg/day), Oral Rat Acute Toxicity (LD50) (mol/kg), Oral Rat Chronic Toxicity (LOAEL) (log mg/kg_bw/day), and Minnow Toxicity (LC50) (log mM). The results highlight four potential antibiotics—cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, imipenem, and meropenem—that exhibited lower toxicity effects compared to other compounds. These findings imply a relatively favorable safety profile for these antibiotics concerning the specified toxicity parameters. However, it is crucial to interpret these outcomes within the context of the specific clinical application and to consider additional factors for a comprehensive safety assessment. It's essential to acknowledge that evaluating toxicity is intricate, and the determination of what is considered "less toxic" can rely on specific criteria and the context of use. Furthermore, individual responses to antibiotics may vary, and the selection of an antibiotic should be based on diverse factors, including the specific infection being treated, the patient's health, and potential side effects.

Mineral extraction is one of the most important for the economies of different countries, and Brazil is one of the world's primary iron ore producers. Unfortunately, the dams are still the main problem, mainly in Minas Gerais, especially after the Fundão Dam rupture happened in 2015. Additionally, there is still a massive presence of buildings produced on earth throughout the Minas Gerais mining region, built from the 18th century to today. Investigating the potential of IOT to be incorporated into traditional earthen construction techniques in regions affected by dam ruptures presents a relevant and innovative research approach. In addition, the local reuse of these sediments should be the priority. Thus, the main objective of this work was to collect, characterize, and analyze the possibilities of application of these tailings to produce RE. XRD, XRF, granulometry, porosity, specific density, toxicity, and MEV/EDS were performed on the samples collected at three points. To analyze the soil-IOT compatibility, representative mixtures of RE were produced, and the specific mass, compaction, and compressive strength were performed. It was observed that the IoT samples have a high silica content and that the mixtures of IOT-soil, even without cement, reached compressive strength values above the current international standards.

Aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicity are the top two constraints to crop production in acid soil. Crops have evolved common and specific mechanisms to tolerate the two stresses. In the present study, the responses (toxicity and tolerance) of wheat near-isogenic lines (ET8 and ES8) and their parents (Carazinho and Egret) to Al and Mn were compared by determining physiolog-ical parameters and transcriptome profiling of roots. The results showed that: (1) Carazinho and ET8 exhibited dual tolerance to Al and Mn as compared with Egret and ES8, indicated by higher relative root elongation and SPAD; (2) After entering into roots, Al was mainly distributed in the root and fixed in the cell wall, while Mn was mainly distributed in the cell sap and then trans-ported to leaves. Both Al and Mn stresses decreased the contents of Ca, Mg, and Zn; Mn stress al-so inhibited the accumulation of Fe, while Al showed an opposite effect; (3) Transcriptomic analy-sis identified 5581 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under Al stress and 4165 DEGs under Mn stress. Among these, 2774 DEGs were regulated by both Al and Mn stresses, while 2280 and 1957 DEGs were exclusively regulated by Al and Mn stress, respectively. GO and KEGG analyses indi-cated that cell wall metabolism responds exclusively to Al, while nicotianamine synthesis exclu-sively responds to Mn. Pathways such as signaling, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and metal ion transport showed commonality and specificity to Al and Mn. TFs, such as MYB, WRKY, and AP2 families, were also regulated by Al and Mn, and WGCNA identified PODP7, VATB2, and ABCC3 as the hub genes for Al tolerance and NAS for Mn tolerance. The identified genes and pathways can be used as targets for pyramiding genes and breeding multi-tolerant varieties.

Polyphenolic compounds, encompassing flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, rutin, cyanidin) and non-flavonoids (e.g., gallic acid, resveratrol, curcumin), show several health-related beneficial effects, which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antiviral, and anticar-cinogenic properties, as well as the prevention of coronary heart diseases. Polyphenols have been also investigated for their counteraction against adverse effects of common anticancer chemo-therapeutics. This review examines the outcomes of clinical studies (and related preclinical data) over the last ten years, with a focus on the use of polyphenols in chemotherapy as auxiliary agents acting against oxidative stress toxicity induced by antitumor drugs. While further clinical studies are needed to establish adequate doses and optimal delivery systems, the improvement in pol-yphenols’ metabolic stability and bioavailability, through implementation of nanotechnologies currently being investigated, could improve therapeutic applications of their pharmaceutical or nutraceutical preparations in tumor chemotherapy.

Essential oils (EOs) are highly concentrated and volatile blends of nonpolar substances, are derived from aromatic plant components and comprise terpenes, terpenoids and phenylpropanoids, exhibiting diverse biological and pharmacological properties. The burgeoning pet industry is interested in EOs as a potential solution for common health issues in domestic animals, particularly in addressing antimicrobial resistance. The present study summarizes the composition, properties, benefits, safety considerations, and effects of EOs on pets and animals. The applications of EOs range from antimicrobial effects to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities etc. Furthermore, EOs are used extensively in various industries, including beauty care products, detergents, and fragrances. The chemical constituents of EOs, exemplified by eucalyptus EO and rosemary EO, highlight their distinct aromatic profiles and potential benefits. Nevertheless, understanding the chemical makeup of EOs is fundamental in assessing their potential impacts on biological systems. Safety considerations, including potential toxicity, are essential when incorporating EOs into animal care routines. The feed additives incorporating EOs have shown promise in influencing gut microbiota balance, reducing inflammation, and acting as antioxidants. However, cautious application is paramount, considering the potential risks associated with high doses or multiple administrations. Preliminary studies suggest low toxicity levels, but further research is required to evaluate the safety of EOs. Though studies reported the beneficial effects of EOs on pets and animals, further research is needed to validate the findings in real-world conditions. The paper also discussed the regulatory considerations and future perspectives on applying EOs in veterinary medicine.

The manuscript presents the comprehensive integrative theory of the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease - the amyloid degradation toxicity hypothesis - and describes the logic that underlies it.The analysis of amyloid biomarkers and stable-isotope label kinetics (SILK) studies suggest that AD diagnosis is associated with higher cellular uptake of beta-amyloid. Uptake of beta-amyloid by cells is needed for its cytotoxicity, so the uptake rate should correlate with the rate of neurodegeneration. Also, the initial step in forming extracellular aggregates cannot occur in the interstitial fluid due to the extremely low concentration of beta-amyloid but can occur intralysosomally. Therefore, the density of extracellular aggregates should positively correlate with the rate of cellular amyloid uptake. The model, which considers that both cytotoxicity and aggregation of beta-amyloid are defined by cellular uptake, successfully reproduces the probability distribution of AD diagnosis in the population. Cellular uptake of beta-amyloid is mediated by endocytosis. Endocytosed beta-amyloid induces lysosomal permeabilization that occurs without plasma membrane damage. Lysosomal permeabilization explains ion disturbances, such as an accumulation of intracellular calcium, caused by cell exposure to extracellular beta-amyloid. Some amyloid fragments, produced from beta-amyloid by lysosomal proteases, can form membrane channels in lysosomal membranes, which are large enough to leak cathepsins to the cytoplasm. Appearance of proteases in the cytoplasm results in necrosis and/or initiation of apoptosis. If the cell survives, the damage of lysosomes leads to autophagy failure and slow recycling of mitochondria, promoting the production of reactive oxygen species and potentiating cell damage.Considering the above, the integrative theory of AD etiology and pathogenesis can be formulated. The etiology of AD is the membrane channel formation by amyloid fragments produced in lysosomes. The pathogenesis includes lysosomal permeabilization by giant membrane channels, which leak lysosomal proteases into the cytoplasm. The correlation between the density of amyloid aggregates and the probability of AD appears because the intensity of cellular uptake defines both aggregation rates in vivo and cytotoxicity of beta-amyloid.The amyloid degradation toxicity hypothesis is the integrative theory of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It successfully interprets multiple phenomena and paradoxes associated with AD pathobiology at various levels, from molecular and cellular to biomarkers. The hypothesis explains the limitations of currently used biomarkers of AD and proposes etiology-related parameters. These parameters could be measured in humans and become novel diagnostic and prognostic clinical tools. Based on the proposed framework, we foresee the development of effective medications to treat, stall the progression of, or prevent disease development.

A significant amount of data is available for bench-scale fire assessments. However, there is little surrounding large-scale tests and even less so for bench-to-large scale comparisons. Large-scale tests require more material, time and preparation, making them more expensive than bench-scale assessments. However, large-scale testing is an essential component to bench-scale fire testing. The bench-scale tests must be representative of both large-scale and real fire behaviour to provide an insight into how a material or product will behave in the event of a fire during its end use application. The few existing studies reviewed in this study show more guidance and data is needed, especially on a large-scale. Unfortunately, the data that is presented is done so in an inconsistent manner using various means of presentation, statistical analysis, and modelling that doesn’t show clear comparisons between bench and large scale. Currently, no bench-scale method shows good agreement with large-scale fire behaviour. Overall, there is a need for more large-scale testing and data for direct comparisons to be made.

As smoke toxicity is unregulated outside of the mass transport industry, there is no set methodology for assessing smoke toxicity of construction products, like OSB, on a large-scale. This research aims to assess the novel design of a modified ISO 9705 room corner test designed for smoke toxicity quantification. Three tests conditions will be assessed to determine if restriction of ventilation is enough to force a fire to transition to under-ventilated flaming, or if the fuel loading is much more important in affecting the fire severity and fire condition. The research found that fuel loading and test geometry has more significant impact on the fire condition than restricting the ventilation. While imposing restrictions on the test rooms ventilation did increase the equivalence ratio, it was not sufficient enough to force the transition into under-ventilated flaming. The addition of a door to the test room did not force the fire to transition to under-ventilated flaming. When doubling the fuel loading, there was sufficient fuel for the fire to transition to under-ventilated flaming. This research has provided the experimental methodologies to assess smoke toxicity at a range of ventilation conditions on a large-scale.

Polyurethane is used extensively in the furniture industry, primarily in beds and sofas. There is a significant volume of research pertaining to the flammability of polyurethane materials, but very little regarding smoke toxicity. Given toxic fire effluents are a primary cause of injury and fatalities, more work needs to be done to test the toxicity of polyurethane materials and the fire retardants they are coated/bound with. The aim of the review is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the decomposition of polyurethane and discuss the development and application of modern fire retardants and their effect on smoke toxicity. This work then provides discussion on the challenges faced when attempting to quantify the toxicity of the effluent produced during combustion. Future work should aim to reduce the toxicity and flammability of polyurethane simultaneously by; reducing the pyrolysis of the polymer, preventing the escape of volatile products, reducing radicals within the system and lowering the temperature of the system. Before this can be achieved, a better understanding of smoke toxicity and the ability to test materials is needed.

The steady state tube furnace (SSTF) (ISO/TS 19700) was used to assess the effects altering the reaction zone of a flame had on smoke toxicity measurements. The gas inlet of the apparatus was modified to allow for a mixture of nitrogen and air to be introduced into the system. The volume of air used in each test remained at 2 L min-1 , and additional volumes of nitrogen were varied between tests altering the total volume of gas used in the primary gas inlet. The chosen conditions were representative of under-ventilated flaming by using a restricted oxygen environment. The research shows that the increase in volume flow of gas over a sample increased the smoke toxicity of the materials tested (CO and HCN). When increasing the volume of the primary air-flow through the tube furnace, the flow causes thinning of the flame zone in the apparatus and results in gaseous species spending less time in the reaction zone, resulting in less time available for chemical reactions to occur. This resulted in less complete combustion occurring, and hence an increased yield of measured products of incomplete combustion (CO and HCN), and a decreased yield of products of complete combustion (CO2).

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations, focusing on PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 in five Primary Health Centers (PHCs): Arakale, Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Iju, Oba-Ile, and Owode within Akure Local Government Areas in Nigeria. The primary novelty of this research lies in its detailed exploration of the toxicity potential of these PM fractions, providing valuable insights into the local air quality and associated health risks. The study assesses the health implications by calculating the toxicity potential (TP), Relative Risk (RR), Excess Risk (ER), and Attributable Fractions (AF) for cardiopulmonary and lung cancer mortality. The results reveal varying RR values for all-cause mortality, with Arakale showing a slight elevation (RR: 1.061), indicating potential health risks. ER values for cardiopulmonary mortality range from 14.728±7.25 to 19.04±0.38, emphasizing the substantial excess risk associated with long-term PM2.5 exposure. The study also uncovers AF for cardiopulmonary mortality ranging between 11.03±0.31 to 19.22±0.04, underscoring the significant contribution of PM to cardiovascular and respiratory health risks. Similarly, AF for lung cancer mortality ranges from 10.03±0.012 to 17.13±0.10, highlighting the substantial association between PM2.5 exposure and lung cancer risk. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted air quality management strategies and public health interventions in the studied locations to mitigate the heightened health risks associated with particulate matter pollution. The calculated RR, ER, and AF values offer crucial insights into the complex relationship between PM exposure and adverse health outcomes, providing a foundation for informed decision-making and future research endeavors.

Quercetin (QUA), a flavonoid compound, is ubiquitously found in plants and has demonstrated a diverse range of biological activities. The primary objective of the present study is to assess the potential antiemetic properties of QUA using an in vivo and in silico approach. In this experiment, emesis was induced in 4-day-old chicks by orally administering copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4.5H2O) at a dose of 50 mg/kg (orally). Domperidone (6 mg/kg), ondansetron (5 mg/kg), and hyoscine (21 mg/kg) were treated as positive controls (PCs), and distilled water was employed as a negative control (NC). QUA was administered orally at two distinct doses (25 and 50 mg/kg). Additionally, QUA (50 mg/kg) and PCs were administered separately or in combination to assess their antagonistic or synergistic effects on the chicks. The binding affinity of QUA and referral ligands towards 5HT3, D2, D3, and M1–M5 receptors was estimated, and ligand-receptor interactions were visualized through various computational tools. In vivo findings indicate that QUA (25 and 50 mg/kg) has a significant effect on reducing the number of retches (16.50 ± 4.65 and 10.00 ± 4.19 times) and increasing the chick latency period (59.25 ± 4.75 and 94.25 ± 4.01 seconds), respectively. Additionally, QUA (50 mg/kg) in combination with domperidone and ondansetron exhibited superior antiemetic effects, reducing the number of retches and increasing the onset of emesis-inducing time. Furthermore, it is worth noting that QUA demonstrated the strongest binding affinity towards the D2 receptor with a value of -9.7 kcal/mol through the formation of hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds. In summary, the study found that QUA exhibited antiemetic activity in chicks, potentially by interacting with the D2 receptor pathway.

Influenza virus strain A/South Africa/3626/2013 (H1N1)pdm09 (SA-WT) is a non-mouse-adapted model strain, which has naturally high pathogenic properties for mice. It has been suggested that the high pathogenicity of this strain for mice could be due to the three strain-specific substitutions in the polymerase complex (Q687R in PB1, N102T in PB2, and E358E/K heterogeneity also in PB2). To evaluate the role of these replacements, SA-WT was passaged five times in mouse lungs, and the genome of the mouse-adapted version of the SA-WT strain (SA-M5) was sequenced. SA-M5 lost E358E/K heterogeneity and retained E358, which is the prevalent amino acid at this position among H1N1pdm09 strains. Besides, in the hemagglutinin of SA-M5, two heterogeneous substitutions (G155G/E and S190S/R) were identified. Both viruses, SA-M5 and SA-WT, were compared for their toxicity, ability to replicate, pathogenicity, and immunogenicity for mice. In mice infected with SA-M5 or SA-WT strains, toxicity, virus titer in pulmonary homogenates, and mouse survival did not differ significantly. Contrarily, an increase in the immunogenicity of SA-M5 compared to SA-WT was observed. This increase could be due to the substitutions G155G/E and S190S/R in the HA of SA-M5. The prospects for using SA-M5 in studying the immunogenicity mechanisms were also discussed.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the most common factor limiting the growth of alfalfa in acidic soil conditions. Melatonin (MT), a significant pleiotropic molecule present in both plants and animals, has shown promise in mitigating Al toxicity in various plant species. This study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which melatonin alleviates Al toxicity in alfalfa through a combined physiological and transcriptomic analysis. The results reveal that 5 μM MT significantly alleviates Al-induced growth inhibition and preserves the morphology of root tip cells. Moreover, MT application reduces Al accumulation in alfalfa roots and shoots by 28.6% and 27.6%, respectively. Additionally, MT plays a crucial role in scavenging Al-induced excess H2O2 by enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), consequently reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The RNA-seq results reveal that MT application significantly upregulates the expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) and carbon metabolism-related genes, including those involved in the glycolysis process, as well as sucrose and starch metabolism, suggesting that MT application may mitigate Al toxicity by facilitating the binding of Al to the cell walls, thereby reducing intracellular Al accumulation, and by improving respiration and the content of sucrose and trehalose. Taken together, our study demonstrates that MT alleviates Al toxicity in alfalfa by restoring redox homeostasis, enhancing Al binding to the cell wall, and modulating carbon metabolism. This research advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying MT's effectiveness in mitigating Al toxicity, offering potential strategies for reducing Al accumulation in alfalfa.

The present review critically examines the advancements in the past 5 years concerning the re-search on the bioavailability of the nanoplastics (NPLs) to freshwater plankton. With a specific emphasis on two bioavailability components: uptake availability and toxico-availability, we dis-cuss the recent progress in the understanding of the adsorption, absorption, trophic transfer and biological effects in phyto- and zooplankton induced by NPLs exposure. The influence of the plankton on the NPLs bioavailability via excretion of the biomolecules and formation of eco-corona is also examined. In spite of the important research developments, there are still con-siderable knowledge gaps with respect to NPLs biouptake and trophic transfer by plankton, as well as a potential adverse effect in natural aquatic systems. As plankton play a critical role in primary production, nutrient cycling and food web structure, understanding the interaction be-tween NPLs and plankton is essential in assessing the potential implications of the nanoplastics pollution for aquatic ecosystem biodiversity and services.

Honey bees are vital organisms that provide ecological and economic value to humans. However, in recent years, the increase in honey bee losses due to various environmental factors, including pesticides, has become a growing concern. In Europe, neonicotinoid pesticides that are banned are being used without restrictions in the domestic setting, leading to ongoing damages as a result. Ongoing research is continually being conducted to demonstrate the risks associated with neonicotinoid pesticides. However, validation of the actual damages and impact in the field remains absent. Therefore, in this study, we observed changes in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies located near rice cultivation areas as they progressed beyond the rice pesticide application period. Furthermore, we collected honey bees exposed to the clothianidin and analyzed their stress-related gene expression. The results showed that the foraging behavior of honey bee colonies located near rice cultivation areas did not exhibit significant differences between the treatment site (Cheongyang and Gimje) and the control site (Wanju) during the experimental period. However, it was observed that the expression levels of stress-related genes in honey bees collected from the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control. Most of the stress-related genes were associated with detoxification processes in response to pesticides. As a result, pesticide treatment in proximity to rice cultivation areas did not cause direct damage to honey bees but had an indirect impact, suggesting the potential for ongoing chronic damage.

Biosensors based on an oxygen electrode, a mediator electrode and a mediator microbial biofuel cell (MFC) using on the bacteria Gluconobacter oxydans B-1280 have been formed and tested to determine the integral toxicity. G. oxydans bacteria exhibit high sensitivity to the toxic effects of phenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, salicylic and trichloroacetic acid and a number of heavy metal ions. The system “G. oxydans bacteria – ferrocene – graphite-paste electrode” is superior in sensitivity to biosensors formed using an oxygen electrode and MFC, in particular regarding heavy metal ions (EC50 of chromium (II), manganese (II) and cadmium (II) was 0.8 mg/dm3, 0.3 mg/dm3 and 1.6 mg/dm3, respectively). It has been determined that the period of stable functioning of electrochemical systems during measurements is reduced by half due (from 30 to 15 days) due to changes in the enzyme system of microbial cells when exposed to toxicants. Samples of products made from polymeric materials were analyzed using developed biosensor systems and standard biotesting methods based on inhibiting the growth of duckweed L. minor, reducing the motility of bull sperm and quenching the luminescence of the commercial test system "Ecolum". The developed bioelectrocatalytic systems are comparable in sensitivity to commercial biosensors, which made it possible to correlate the results and identify by all methods a highly toxic sample containing diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate according to GC-MS data.

The EPA has banned PFOA and PFOS as persistent organic pollutants, but their residues in environment should not be underestimated. Based on the demand for healthy aquaculture and safe aquatic products, it is necessary to explore alleviative methods for the toxicity of PFOA and PFOS to fish. This study is the first to investigate the protective effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus against oxidative damage, neurotoxicity, and gut microbial dysbiosis induced by PFOA and PFOS in adult zebrafish. The results showed that L. rhamnosus effectively alleviated PFOA- and PFOS-induced oxidative stress by restoring superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Both PFOA and PFOS caused intestinal tissue damage, and the degree of damage is PFOA+PFOS>PFOS>PFOA. L. rhamnosus can restore damaged intestinal villi and lymphocyte numbers and also have a restorative effect on intestinal tissue damage. The up-regulated proportion of beneficial Firmicutes and Actinobacteria was also found after L. rhamnosus feeding. These findings provide new insights for L. rhamnosus to alleviate the toxicity of PFOA and PFOS to zebrafish and promote the progress of research on the successful use of probiotics in freshwater aquaculture.

(1) Background: The synthesis of core-shell magnetic mesoporous nanoparticles (MMSN) from phase transfer process is usually performed at 100-250 mg scale. At the gram scale, nanoparticles without core or with multicore systems are observed. (2) Methods: Iron oxide core nanoparticles (IO) were synthesized through thermal decomposition procedure of -FeO in oleic acid. Phase transfer from chloroform to water was then performed in order to wrap IO with mesoporous silica shell through the sol-gel procedure. MMSN were then functionalized with DTPA, and used for the separation of metal ions. Their toxicity was evaluated (3) Results: The phase transfer pro-cedure was crucial to obtained MMSN at large scale. Three synthesis parameters were rigorously controlled: temperature, time and glassware. Homogeneous dispersion of MMSN at the gram scale was successfully obtained. After functionalization with DTPA, the MMSN-DTPA were shown to have a strong affinity for Ni ions. Furthermore toxicity was evaluated in cells, zebrafish and through seahorse metabolic assays, and the nanoparticles were found nontoxic. (4) Conclusions: We developed a method of preparation of MMSN at the gram scale. After function-alization with DTPA, the nanoparticles were efficient in metal ion removal and separation, fur-thermore, no toxicity was noticed up to 125 µg.mL-1 in zebrafish.

Radiotherapy is the primary treatment modality for non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) across all TNM-stages. Locoregional control rates have been impressive even from the 2D-radiotherapy (RT) era, except when the ability to deliver optimal dose coverage to the tumor is compromised. However, short- and long-term complications following head and neck RT are potentially debilitating, and thus, there had been much research investigating technological advances in RT delivery over the past decades, with the primary goal of limiting normal tissue damage. On this note, with a plateau in gains of therapeutic ratio by modern RT techniques, future advances have to be focused on individualization of RT, both in terms of dose prescription and delineation of target volumes. In this review, we analyzed the guidelines and evidence related to contouring methods, and dose prescription for early and locoregionally-advanced (LA-) NPC. Next, with the preference for induction chemotherapy (IC) in patients with LA-NPC, we assessed the evidence concerning radiotherapy adaptations guided by IC response, as well as functional imaging and contour changes during treatment. Finally, we discussed on RT individualization that is guided by EBV DNA assessment, and its importance in the era of combinatorial immune checkpoint blockade therapy with RT.

Methotrexate (MTX), a structurally related substance to folic acid, is an important chemotherapeutic agent used for decades in the treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and other types of cancer as non Hodgkin lymphomas and osteosarcomas. Despite the successful outcomes observed, the primary drawback is the variability in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics between patients. The main adverse events related to its use are mainly nephrotoxicity, mucositis and myelosuppression especially when used in high doses. The potential adverse reactions and toxicities associated with MTX are a cause for concern and may lead to dose reduction or treatment interruption. Genetic variants in MTX transport genes have been linked to toxicity. Pharmacogenetic studies conducted in the past focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding and 5′-regulatory regions of genes. Recent studies have demonstrated a significant role of miRNAs in the transport and metabolism of drugs, and in the regulation of target genes. The last few years, the number of annotated miRNAs is continually rising, as well as the studies of miRNA polymorphisms and MTX toxicity. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate the role of miRNA variants related to MTX adverse effects.

The work presented in this paper presents several novel findings from a comprehensive analysis of about 50,000 Tweets about online learning during COVID-19, posted on Twitter between November 9, 2021, and July 13, 2022. First, the results of sentiment analysis from VADER, Afinn, and TextBlob show that a higher percentage of these tweets were positive. The results of gender-specific sentiment analysis indicate that for positive tweets, negative tweets, and neutral tweets, between males and females, males posted a higher percentage of the tweets. Second, the results from subjectivity analysis show that the percentage of least opinionated, neutral opinionated, and highly opinionated tweets were 56.568%, 30.898%, and 12.534%, respectively. The gender-specific results for subjectivity analysis indicate that for each subjectivity class, males posted a higher percentage of tweets as compared to females. Third, toxicity detection was performed on the tweets to detect different categories of toxic content - toxicity, obscene, identity attack, insult, threat, and sexually explicit. The gender-specific analysis of the percentage of tweets posted by each gender in each of these categories revealed several novel insights. For instance, for the sexually explicit category, females posted a higher percentage of tweets as compared to males. Fourth, gender-specific tweeting patterns for each of these categories of toxic content were analyzed to understand the trends of the same. The results unraveled multiple paradigms of tweeting behavior, for instance, the intensity of obscene content in tweets about online learning by males and females has decreased since May 2022. Fifth, the average activity of males and females per month was calculated. The findings indicate that the average activity of females has been higher in all months as compared to males other than March 2022. Finally, country-specific tweeting patterns of males and females were also performed which presented multiple novel insights, for instance, in India a higher percentage of the tweets about online learning during COVID-19 were posted by males as compared to females.

Developmental hazard evaluation is an important part of assessing chemical risks during pregnancy. Toxicological outcomes from prenatal testing in pregnant animals result from complex chemical-biological interactions, and while New Approach Methods (NAMs) based on in vitro bioactivity profiles of human cells offer promising alternatives to animal testing, most of these assays lack cellular positional information, physical constraints, and regional organization of the intact embryo. Here, we engineered a fully computable model of the embryonic disc in the compucell3d.org modeling environment to simulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition of epiblast cells and self-organization of mesodermal domains (chordamesoderm, paraxial, lateral plate, posterior/extraembryonic). Cell fate in the model is determined by an autonomous homeobox (HOX) clock driven by morphogenetic signals (e.g., FGF, WNT, ATRA, CDX). Executing the model renders a quantitative cell-level computation of mesodermal subpopulations and consequences of perturbation based on known embryogeny. For example, synthetic perturbation of the control network rendered altered phenotypes (cybermorphs) mirroring experimental mouse embryology, with 50% reductions in FGF4, FGF8 and BMP4 signaling resulting in 86%, 98% and 59% reductions, respectively in the posterior mesodermal population, while ATRA exposure also resulted in a 78% decrease in this population. This model enables integration of in vitro chemical bioactivity data for specific molecular targets with known embryology to test mechanistic veracity and quantitative prediction of altered development.

The creation of mitochondria-targeted vector systems is a new tool for the treatment of socially significant diseases. Phosphonium groups provide targeted delivery of drugs through biological barriers to organelles. For this purpose, a new class of alkyl(diethylamino)(phenyl) phosphonium iodides (bromides) 1 containing one, two, or three diethylamino groups were obtained by the reaction of alkyl iodides (bromides) with (diethylamino)(phenyl)phosphines under mild conditions and high yields. The structure of compounds 1 was established by NMR and XRD. In vitro a high cytotoxicity against the lines M-Hela, HuTu 80, PC3, DU-145, PANC-1 and MCF-7 was found. Selectivity index are in the range of 0.06-4.0 M (SI 17-277) for the most active compounds. ROS production, mitochondrial localization and the process of cellular apoptosis were investigated. Decorated by 1 of lipid systems (liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles) improve the cytotoxicity and a decrease in toxicity against normal cell lines. Compounds 1 induce apoptosis proceeding along the mitochondrial pathway. Aminophosphonium salts 1 also exhibit a high selective activity against the Gram-positive bacteria strains S. aureus 209P, B. segeus 8035, including methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MRSA-1, MRSA-2), comparable to the activity of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic norfloxacin. A moderate in vivo toxicity in CD-1 mice was established for the lead compounds.

Hu7691 represents a novel Pan-Akt kinase inhibitor, demonstrating excellent selectivity towards non-AGC kinase families and pronounced inhibitory effects on the proliferation of multiple tumor cell lines. However, there is currently a notable absence of in vivo toxicological research evidence concerning Hu7691. This study represents the first investigation into the 14-day repeated dose toxicity of Hu7691 in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male rats were administered daily doses of 12.5, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, while female rats received doses of 12.5, 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days. Hematological assessments, organ weights, and histopathological examinations revealed corresponding alterations, suggesting potential target organs for toxicity including the spleen, thymus, and gastrointestinal tract. It is worth noting that the test substance may also impact the liver, kidneys, heart, and ovaries. The No Observed Effect Level (NOAEL) was determined to be no greater than 12.5 mg/kg. Based on the observed gender-related toxicity differences in preliminary trials, it is recommended that the high dose reference dose for male animals in formal experiments should not be less than 100 mg/kg, while for female animals, it should be less than 50 mg/kg.

Cobalt (Co) is a transition metal and is classified as a beneficial metal for plants, but its benefits for plants remain obscure. Cobalt has been reported to negatively affect plant physiochemical processes both at higher (toxic) and lower (deficient) applied levels. High concentrations of cobalt in plant organs cause irreversible changes to the plant cells, mainly via enhanced production of reactive radicals. Moreover, Co and its compound play an essential role in humans as they are the central atoms of cobalamin, a co-enzyme precursor whose absence causes anemia. Hence, the optimum Co supply to plants is critical for customary plant metabolic workings. Henceforth, monitoring Co behavior in the soil-plant-human system is highly imperative. This review highlighted the latest literature on (i) Co in soil and plants; (ii) its mobility and phyto-availability in soil; (iii) phytouptake and translocation towards shoot tissues; (iv) toxic and deficient effects of Co on plants; (v) plant detoxification mechanisms under increased Co levels inside plants; and (v) its role in the human body. For this purpose, 1026 plant observations from literature data were analyzed related to Co biogeochemical behavior in the soil-plant system. The data analysis revealed an overall increase in 567 observations and a decrease in 381 observations. However, these general trends in plant responses vary significantly for different types of plant species and physiological attributes. Overall, the current review delineates an updated and critical representation of the biogeochemical behavior of Co in the soil-plant-human system, supported by up-to-date 9 main tables, 14 supporting tables, and 3 figures. The authors believe that the literature presented here can be of great interest to scientists, researchers, policymakers, and graduate-level students.

Brassicaceae are well known as non-arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) host plants. This study was aimed to examine effects of two Brassica; cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. cv. cabitata) and mustard (B. juncea Coss.) on three AM species (Acaulospora, Entrophospora and Glomus) and to examine effect of root incorporation into soil on root AM infectivity in maize growing in iron toxicity soil. Experiment 1, cabbage and mustard crop reduced spore density of Acaulospora, but there was no effect on spore density of Entrophospora. While, mustard crop had more effect on Glomus spore density than cabbage crop. Experiment 2, AM spore from two conditions; without and with 6 weeks of root residues (cabbage, mustard and maize) incorporation was examined for its infectivity in maize roots. At D21, without root incorporated, the infectivity of Acaulospora, Entrophospora and Glomus were not different. By contrast, cabbage and mustard root incorporation depressed infec-tivity of Acaulospora but, there was no effect on Entrophospora. Whereas, cabbage root incorporation only depressed infectivity of Glomus. However, AM infectivity was recovered at D42. These results suggested that Brassica root incorporated into soil was the actual effect on the viability of AM spore resulting in reduction of AM infectivity at the early stage.

Though studies have characterized lizard dung as an unconventional psychoactive substance of abuse, this has not been demonstrated in experimental settings. We evaluated the toxicity and CNS activity of lizard dung in Wistar rats. The acute and subacute toxicity studies were conducted via oral and inhalational routes. Classical models of tail suspension, forced swim, elevated plus maze, hole board, and sodium pentobarbital-induced sleeping time tests were adopted and the lizard dung were administered via both routes. No mortality was observed for all doses of the test substance administered via both routes during the toxicity studies. Significant changes in serum urea, creatinine, bilirubin, ALP, ALT and AST were recorded. Mixed inflammatory infiltrates and oedema were observed in the lungs from the group that inhaled 1.0g darkish part of lizard dung. Lizard dung produced marked reduction in the exploratory behaviour. Our findings indicate depression of the CNS.

Purpose: Glue inhalation is a common unconventional substance of abuse and it contains neurotoxic and volatile solvents. We examined the toxicity profile and CNS activities of glue inhalation in Wistar rats.Methods: Acute toxicity was investigated using graded concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 2 mL of glue inhalation (n=3/group) for 4 hours in phase one followed by concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mL of glue (n=1/group) for 4 hours in phase two. These animals were then observed for signs of toxicity and/or mortality for 24hours. The sub-acute toxicity was studied using 24 male Wistar rats at graded concentrations of Air, 2, 4 and 8mL glue (n=6/group) for 28 days. Blood samples were collected for biochemical and haematological evaluations, and vital organs (lung, liver, kidney, heart, brain, and eye) were used for histological analysis. Behavioural studies were carried out using Elevated Plus Maze, Hole Board Test, Open Field Test, Tail Suspension Test and Forced Swim Test. Dependence and abstinence effect were also evaluated. Results: The Lethal Dose (LD₅₀) of the inhalational glue was 14.14 ml. Glue significantly increased liver function parameters like TB, DB, ALP, ALT, TP, electrolyte levels (K⁺ and HCO₃) but reduced cholesterol level in exposed rats. Glue inhalation had significant anxiolytic and depressant effects on the rats at concentrations of 4mL and 8mL. Histological analysis revealed liver and lung tissue abnormalities and subconjunctival inflammation in eye tissue at 8mL. Conclusion: The study therefore suggests that glue inhalation has anxiolytic and depressant effects in Wistar rats.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent deficits in social interaction and communication manifests in early childhood and is followed by restricted and stereotyped behaviors, interests or activities in adolescence and adulthood (DSM-V). Although genetics and environmental factors have been implicated, the exact causes of ASD have yet to be fully characterized. New evidence suggests that dysbiosis or perturbation in gut microbiota (GM) and exposure to lead (Pb) may play important roles in ASD etiology. Pb is a toxic heavy metal that has been linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes including anemia, encephalopathy, gastroenteric diseases and more importantly cognitive and behavioral problems inherent to ASD. Pb exposure can disrupt GM, which is essential for maintaining overall health. GM, consisting of trillions of microorganisms, has been shown to play a crucial role in the development of various physiological and psychological functions. GM interacts with the brain in a bidirectional manner referred to as “Gut-Brain Axis (GBA).” In this review, following a general overview of ASD and GM, the interaction of Pb with GM in the context of ASD is emphasized. Potential exploitation of this interaction for therapeutic purposes is also touched upon.

Cyanobacteria, microorganisms performing oxygenic photosynthesis, must adapt their metabolic processes to environmental challenges such as day and night changes. PipX, a unique regulatory protein from cyanobacteria provides a mechanistic link between signalling protein PII, a widely conserved (in bacteria and plants) transducer of carbon/nitrogen/energy richness, and the transcriptional regulator NtcA, which controls a large regulon involved in nitrogen assimilation. PipX is also involved in translational regulation by interaction with the ribosome-assembly GTPase EngA. However, increases of the PipX/PII ratio are toxic, presumably by abnormally increased binding of PipX to other partner(s). Here we present mutational and structural analyses of reported PipX-PII and PipX-NtcA complexes, leading to identification of single amino acid changes that decrease or abolish PipX toxicity. Four out of 11 mutations decreasing toxicity did not decrease PipX levels, suggesting that the targeted residues (F12, D23, L36, R54) provide toxicity determinants. In addition, one of those four mutations (D23A) argued against the over-activation of NtcA as the cause of PipX toxicity. Since most mutations at residues contacting PII decreased PipX levels, PipX stability would depend on its ability to bind to PII, a conclusion supported by the light-induced decrease in PipX levels observed in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.

Given the dramatic increase of L. sceleratus population in southeastern Aegean Sea, there is growing interest in assessing the toxicity of this pufferfish and the factors controlling its tetrodotoxin (TTX) content. In the present study, liver, gonads, muscle and skin of L. sceleratus specimens from Rhodes island, Greece were subjected to multi-analyte profiling using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in order to quantitate TTX and evaluate whether this biotoxin interrelates with hormones. TTX and its analogues 4-epiTTX, 11-deoxyTTX, 11-norTTX-6-ol, 4,9-anhydroTTX and5,11-6,11-dideoxyTTX were detected in all tissue types. Liver and gonads were the most toxic tissues, with the highest TTX concentrations being observed in the ovaries of female specimens. Only 22% of the analyzed muscle samples were non-toxic according to the Japanese toxicity threshold (2.2 μg TTX eq g-1), confirming the high poisoning risk from from the inadvertent consumption of this species. Four steroid hormones (i.e., cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione and β-estradiol) and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were detected in the gonads. Androstenedione dominated in female specimens, while GnRH was more abundant in males. A positive correlation of TTX and its analogues with β-estradiol was observed. Though, a model incorporating sex rather than β-estradiol as independent variable was proved more efficient in predicting TTX concentration, implying that other sex-related characteristics are more important than specific hormone-regulated processes.

Plants belonging to the genus Irvingia are widespread across the African and Southeast Asian regions of the world. Irvingia gabonensis, Irvingia malayana, and Irvingia grandifolia are among the commonly used species in ethnomedicine, especially in Africa. Fever, scabies, toothache, inflammation, and liver and gastrointestinal disorders are among the pathological conditions that are reverted by Irvingia plants upon traditional preparations. Modern pharmacological investigations have substantiated the ethnomedicinal uses of Irvingia spp. Reports on the phytochemical analysis of Irvingia plants have revealed the presence of a number of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins and alkaloids. Based on the foregoing, the present study provides a comprehensive evaluation of reports on the ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of plants from the genus Irvingia. Relevant information on Irvingia plants was mostly obtained from major scientific databases from their inception until July 2023. As a result, more than forty compounds have been identified in Irvingia spp. proving the abundance of secondary metabolites in these plants. Reports have pointed out modern pharmacological activities, such as antiprotozoal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities. The present study provides more insights for the successful utilization of Irvingia plants and may guide further research on their therapeutic potential in the treatment of various diseases.

Over the past several decades, the extensive use of pyrethroids has led to the development of resistance in many insect populations, including the economically damaging pest tarnished plant bug (TPB), Lygus lineolaris on cotton. To manage TPB resistance, several commercially formulated pyrethroid-containing binary mixtures, in combination with neonicotinoids or avermectin are recommended for TPB control and resistance management in the Mid-south USA. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity and resistance risks of four formulated pyrethroid-containing binary mixtures (Endigo, Leverage, Athena, and Hero) on one susceptible and two resistant TPB populations which were field-collected in July (Field-R1) and October (Field-R2), respectively. Based on LC50 values, both resistant TPB populations displayed variable tolerance to the four binary mixtures, with Hero showing the highest resistance and Athena the lowest. Notably, the Field-R2 exhibited 1.5-3-fold higher resistance compared to the Field-R1 for all four binary insecticides. Moreover, both resistant TPB populations demonstrated significantly higher resistance ratios toward Hero and Leverage compared to their corresponding individual pyrethroid, while Endigo and Athena showed similar or lower resistance. This study also utilized the calculated additive index (AI) and co-toxicity coefficient (CTC) analysis, which revealed that the two individual components in Leverage exhibited antagonist effects against the two resistant TPB populations. In contrast, the two individual components in Endigo, Hero and Athena displayed synergistic interactions. Considering that Hero is a mixture of two pyrethroids which can enhance the development of TPB resistance, our findings suggest that Endigo and Athena are likely superior products for slowing down resistance development in TPB populations. This study provides valuable insight for selecting the most effective mixtures to achieve better TPB control through synergistic toxicity analysis, while simultaneously reducing economic and environmental risks associated with resistance development in the insect pest.

Dyes, as indigo carmine have become indispensable to modern life being widely used in food, textile, pharmaceutical, medicine and cosmetic industries. Although indigo carmine is considered toxic and presents many adverse effects, it is heavily used in the food industry because the blue pigment is difficult to obtain from natural sources and is one of the most used dyes in the textile industry, especially for dyeing denim. Also, indigo carmine is one of the dyes used in medicine as diagnostic agent because it has impressive applicability in terms of diagnostic methods and surgical procedures. In the literature it is reported that indigo carmine is toxic for humans and can cause various pathologies, such as hypertension, hypotension, skin irritations, corneal and conjunctival disorders or gastrointestinal disorders. In this review, we discuss the structure and properties of indigo carmine, its use in various industries and medicine, the adverse effects of its ingestion, injection or skin contact, the effects on environmental pollution and its toxicity testing.

Parabens are classified as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), capable of interfering with the normal functioning of the thyroid, affecting the proper regulation of the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones (TH) which is controlled by hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT). Given the crucial role of these hormones in health and the growing evidence of diseases related to thyroid dysfunction, this review looks at the effects of paraben exposure on the thyroid. In this study, we considered research carried out in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies published between 1951 and 2023, which demonstrated an association between exposure to parabens and dysfunctions of the HPT axis. In humans, exposure to parabens appears to increase thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, while in rodents, exposure decreases TSH levels. The effects on HT levels are also poorly described, as well as peripheral metabolism. Regardless, recent studies have shown different actions between different subtypes of parabens on the HPT axis, which allows us to speculate that the mechanism of action of these parabens is different. Furthermore, studies of exposure to parabens are more evident in women than in men. Therefore, future studies are needed to clarify the effects of exposure to parabens and their mechanisms of action on this axis.

A paper in this journal on decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) used unreliable methods to reach unreliable conclusions. The authors concluded that D5 exposure should be viewed as causing human reproductive disorders and should be considered a developmental toxicant, that is, toxic to the developing embryo. The inadequate methods could not have answered the authors' research questions, and the paper should be withdrawn.

Fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals called quantum dots (QDs) have gained attention in biomedical applications, including imaging, molecular tracking, and drug delivery, due to their unique optical properties. However, their use is limited because of safety issues. This study was aimed at assessment the acute toxicity of QDs with different core chemical compositions and surface charges in mice. In addition, the immunotoxicity of CdSe/ZnS QDs was estimated. CdSe/ZnS, PbS/CdS/ZnS, and CuInS2/ZnS QDs were synthesized and modified with PEG derivatives. The hydrodynamic diameters and surface charges of solubilized QDs were characterized. The QD acute toxicity has been shown to depend on both surface charge and core composition. The immunotoxicity of CdSe/ZnS-PEG-OH QDs in mice was assessed after a single intravenous administration of 0.2 LD100 of the QDs. The QDs have been found to increase the spleen weight and cause spleen, thymus, and bone marrow cell depletion. However, these changes are reversible. A transient increase in the levels of proinflammatory cytokines (MCP1 and IL-6) indicates an acute inflammatory response to a single low dose of QDs. Thus, systemic comparative analysis of QD toxicity has shown how the QD core composition and surface properties affect living organisms.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive and biologically heterogeneous disease. Approximately 40% of patients with DLBCL will experience disease relapse or will be refractory to first line chemoimmunotherapy. In recent years there have been several new therapeutic agents approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) DLBCL. These agents include anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies (CAR T-cells) and monoclonal antibodies as polatuzumab and tafasitamab. Nevertheless, despite the high efficacy of all these new therapies, there are still patients who do not respond or relapse, representing an unmet clinical need. This review describes new promising therapies that are under investigation to treat R/R DLBCL.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), due to its bioactive compounds (terpenes and cannabinoids), has gained an increasing interest in different fields, including medical purposes. The evaluation of the safety profile of hemp essential oil (EO) and its encapsulated form (nanoemulsion, NE) is a relevant aspect for potential therapeutic applications. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicolog-ical effect of hemp EOs and NEs from cultivars Carmagnola CS and Uso 31, on three cell lines se-lected as models for topical and inhalant administration, by evaluating the cytotoxicity and the cytokine expression profiles. Results show that EOs and their NEs have comparable cytotoxicity, if considering the quantity of EO present in the NE. Moreover, cells treated with EOs and NEs showed, in most of the cases, lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to Etoposide used as positive control, and the basal level of inflammatory cytokines was not altered, suggest-ing a safety profile of hemp EOs and their NEs to support their use for medical applications.

Anastatica hierochuntica L. (Brassicaceae) has been claimed to treat various conditions including complicated childbirth. The principal objective of this research was to provide scientific evidence on the contractile effect of the aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of the whole plant from A. hierochuntica during labor. Qualitative and quantitative methods helped identify and quantify the phytoconstituents in both extracts. The antioxidant activity was studied using four standard methods. The inhibitory power of the extracts on pro-inflammatory enzymes such as 15-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2 was determined. The contractile effects of the extracts were evaluated using isolated pregnant mice uteri. Steroids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, and reduced compounds were identified in both extracts. The extracts demonstrated the ability to reduce oxidative stress. The hydroethanolic extract displayed the most significant anti-lipoxygenase activity with an IC50 value of 55.82 ± 1.15 µg/mL. The lethal dose (LD50) of extracts was estimated to be superior to 2000 mg/kg bw. The ability of the samples to produce one cm amplitude of contraction at 50% effective concentrations (EC50) was 1.51 ± 0.08 mg/mL for aqueous extract and 3.57 ± 0.61 mg/mL for hydroethanolic extract. These findings could provide evidence for using Anastatica hierochuntica to augment labor.

Purpose: Oxidative stress is responsible for over seventy five diseases and other harmful cytological challenges including cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, lipid peroxidation, distortion of cell membrane integrity, shortening of telomerase among others. Antioxidant potency of any plant is a very positive remedy to the debilitating effects of prooxidants and oxidants. The study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant potency of methanol extract of Pentaclethra macrophylla stem bark- in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Different phytochemicals were determined using standard methods. Nitric oxide, 1, 1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing/anti-radical power were used to investigate the in vitro antioxidant activity. Catalase assay, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase were used to determine the in vivo antioxidant efficacy using six groups of five rats. Results: The result showed various quantities of phytochemicals, including antioxidant phytochemicals-flavonoids, tannins and total phenolics. The in vitro assay showed that 250 μg/ml of extract had the highest percentage inhibition of DPPH radical (93.93%). The 125 μg/ml had the highest scavenging activity of nitric oxide radical (49.47%) while 250μg/ml showed the least with 41.73%. Other methods showed various degrees of activity. The in vivo antioxidant showed that the principal mechanism of antioxidant activity is by modulating the iron-dependent catalase activity. Conclusion: Pentaclethra macrophylla has both in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities and therefore is useful in ameliorating the debilitating effects of oxidants.

Target pests of genetically engineered crops producing both defensive allelochemicals and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins often sequentially or simultaneously uptake allelochemicals, Bt toxins, and/or insecticides. How the three types of toxins interact to kill pests remains underexplored. Here we investigated the interactions of Bt toxin Vip3A, plant allelochemical flavone, and insecticide emamectin benzoate in Spodoptera frugiperda. Simultaneous administration of flavone LC25 + Vip3A LC25, emamectin benzoate LC25 + Vip3A LC25, and flavone LC15 + emamectin benzoate LC15 + Vip3A LC15 but not flavone LC25 + emamectin LC25 yielded a mortality significantly higher than their expected additive mortality (EAM). One-day preexposure to one toxin at LC5 followed by 6-day exposure to the same toxin at LC5 plus another toxin at LC50 showed that the mortality of flavone LC5 + Vip3A LC50, emamectin benzoate LC5 + Vip3A LC50, and Vip3A LC5 + emamectin benzoate LC50, were significantly higher than their EAM, while that of flavone LC5 + emamectin benzoate LC50 was significantly lower than their EAM. No significant difference existed among the mortalities of Vip3A LC5 + flavone LC50, emamectin benzoate LC5 + flavone LC50, and their EAMs. The results suggest that the interactions of the three toxins are largely synergistic (inductive) or additive, depending on their combinations and doses.

Heavy metals toxicity is a grave environmental issue in contemporary times. Phytoremediation is economic, effective and ecofriendly approach to decontaminate and remediate metal contaminated areas. Phenolic and Flavonoid content are important abiotic stress markers. The individual and combined impacts of toxiferous metals Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd) and (Copper) Cu were employed in recent studies to investigate their effect on Total flavonoids content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC) in various parts of Hydrocotyle umbellata L. to explore the role of plant in abating metal contamination. Folin- ciocalteu and AlCl 3 methods were used for investigating TPC and TFC respectively. Two-way ANOVA and CART model were employed for statistical analysis. Highest TPC was examined in decreasing order as leaf & gt; stem & gt; root in case of all the metals. Whereas highest TFC was found in all plant parts when subjected to As toxicity, and the lowest TFC was found in stem of the plant in respect to Cu toxicity. There was significant effect on TPC on plant part when subjected to Cu and As stress, but so significance was observed in plant part in case of Cd and combined metal stress. Treatment concentration had no significant effect on TPC when subjected to unique impact of all the three metals but had significant effect in case of combined metal stress. Similarly, in case of TFC no significant effect was recorded in case of plant part in all the stress types. But treatment amount has significant impact on Cd and combined metal stress. Metal type has significant effect on TPC and TFC. Whereas plant part has significant impact on TPC but non-significant values were observed on TFC in this case. This study epitomizes TPC and TFC in plants as effective and viable tool to pertain their role in phytoremediation against metal contamination. Therefore H. umbellata L. can be exerted for successful assemblage and decontamination of Cd, Cu and As in different plant parts.

Glitter particles are considered a model of microplastics, which are used in a wide range of products. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of green and white glitter dispersions on the embryonic development of the sea urchins Echinometra lucunte, Arbacia lixula, and the mussel Perna perna. The Toxicity Identification and Evaluation (TIE) approach was used to identify possible chemicals related to toxicity. Glitter dispersions were prepared using 0.05% ethanol. The tested dispersions ranged from 50 to 500 mg/L. The white glitter was composed of a vinyl chloride-methyl acrylate copolymer. The effective concentrations of green glitter to 50% embryos (EC50) were 246.1 (235.8 – 256.4) mg/L to A. lixula, 23.0 (20.2 - 25.8) mg/L to P. perna and 105.9 (61.2 - 150.2) mg/L, whereas the EC50 of white glitter to E. lucunter was 272.2 (261.5 – 282.9) mg/L. The EC50 for P. perna could not be calculated; however, the lowest effect concentration was 10 mg/L. The filtered suspension of green glitter had Ag levels exceeding the legal standards for marine waters. TIE showed that metals, volatiles, and oxidant compounds contribute to toxicity. The results showed that glitter may adversely affect marine organisms; however further studies are necessary to determine its environmental risks.

Individual susceptibility to pulmonary oxygen toxicity (PO2tox) is highly variable and currently lacks a reliable biomarker for predicting pulmonary hyperoxic stress. As nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many respiratory system processes and functions, we aimed to determine if expired nitric oxide (FENO) levels can provide an indication of PO2tox susceptibility in humans. Eight U.S. Navy trained divers volunteered as subjects. The hyperoxic exposures consisted of six- and eight-hour hyperbaric chamber dives conducted on consecutive days in which subjects breathed 100% oxygen at 202.65 kPa. Subjects’ individual variability in pulmonary function and FENO was measured twice daily over five days and compared with their post-dive values to assess susceptibility to PO2tox. Only subjects who showed no decrements in pulmonary function following the six-hour exposure conducted the eight-hour dive. FENO decreased by 55% immediately following the six-hour oxygen exposure (n=8, p<0.0001) and by 63% following the eight-hour exposure (n=4, p<0.0001). Four subjects showed significant decreases in pulmonary function immediately following the six-hour exposure. These subjects had the lowest baseline FENO and the lowest post-dive FENO and had clinical symptoms of PO2tox. Individuals with low FENO were the first to develop PO2tox symptoms and deficits in pulmonary function from the hyperoxic exposures. These data suggest that endogenous levels of NO in the lung may protect against the development of PO2tox.

Imidacloprid is the first-generation neonicotinoid insecticide. But, the long-term use of im-idacloprid as a pesticide has caused severe water pollution. Recently, the toxicity of imidacloprid to aquatic organisms has received increasing attention. This study aimed to investigate the ab-sorption and distribution of imidacloprid in various tissues (gills, intestine, liver, muscle, brain, and gonads) of goldfish through short-term and continuous exposure tests for 28 days. The re-sults of short-term exposure indicated that the concentration of imidacloprid and its metabolites in tissues at the transfer stage decreased steadily after 1 day of 40 mg/l imidacloprid water treatment and was below the detection limit after 3 days. Continuous exposure for 28 days at various treatment concentrations showed that the concentrations of imidacloprid and its metab-olites differed significantly among the different tissues of the goldfish. In the 20 mg/l treatment group (S1), the highest concentration of imidacloprid was found in the liver (12.04 μg /gtissue), followed by the intestine (9.91 μg /gtissue), muscle (6.20 μg /gtissue), gill (6.11 μg /gtissue), gonads (5.22 μg /gtissue), and brain (2.87 μg /gtissue). In the 40 mg/l treatment group (S2), the order of tissue concentrations was similar to that of the S1 group, with the highest concentration observed in the liver (12.04 μg/gtissue), followed by the intestine (9.91 μg/gtissue), muscle (6.20 μg/gtissue), gill (6.11 μg/gtissue), gonads (5.22 μg/gtissue), and brain (2.87 μg/gtissue). Fur-thermore, the study detected 5-hydroxyimidacloprid, imidacloprid urea, and 6-chloronicotinic acid in imidacloprid metabolites in all tissues, while imidacloprid was detected only in the intes-tine and liver. Overall, the results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the met-abolic behavior of imidacloprid in organisms and provide new data to support the assessment of imidacloprid toxicity in fish.

Targeted cancer therapy has grown exponentially in the last decade, representing the largest frontier in the modern concept of precision medicine. This renaissance is largely due to our rapidly evolving ability to biochemically harness our immune systems to target cancer-specific antigens. Combined with an increasing armamentarium of surgical and non-invasive techniques for cancer mitigation we have upgraded cancer therapy from a non-specific assault on cell-division to a multi-modal, targeted approach. This renaissance has resulted in an increase in the perioperative footprint of patients with advanced cancer. The scope of the perioperative clinician has evolved from one of passive/reactive management of complications to a proactive approach that starts in the preoperative optimization phase and continues into the postoperative period. The perioperative world should not exist in a silo, and thus involvement of the oncology team is paramount. To provide safe oncologic care, it is essential to be up to date in newer cancer therapies, lest we act on erroneous and/or outdated information. Oncologists should weigh in on immune status, recent chemotherapeutic exposures, and potentially evolving toxicities. These might involve critical changes to perioperative infectious prophylaxis, steroid administration, and coagulopathy management. First, patients living beyond the typical life-expectancy for their cancer will carry a high burden of cancer-related downstream effects. General metabolic issues will include malnutrition, cachexia, and gastric outlet obstruction. Severe protein-calorie malnutrition, as well as hepatic and renal dysfunction can impact the metabolism and clearance of drugs. The cardiovascular, endocrinologic, pulmonary, and central nervous system implications of new cancer therapies will be discussed extensively below. Second, we have to enhance our ability to manage a cancer population who may be experiencing increasing novel chemotherapeutic toxicities. Newer agents differ from historical agents, which were blunt-force tools aimed at nonspecific destruction of cell-division. These drugs are efficacious but physiologically costly. Newer immunogenic therapies have a slightly improved acute safety profile, and a more complex chronic toxicity profile that may be overt or insidious. Chronic toxicities can present overtly or as a smoldering undertone to other active medical conditions such as sepsis, pneumonia, failure to thrive, or renal failure. The new therapies discussed in this review occur in the context of an overall increasingly multi-faceted cancer care machine. An example is screening for esophageal cancer in patients with Barrett's esophagus, or periodic chest CTs for patients with a strong history of tobacco use. These interventions are more likely to detect disease while it is still resectable, and resections will commonly accompany neo-adjuvant therapy. These approaches commonly involve new immunotherapies whose efficacy is higher-yield with a lower disease burden. In a recent example, the immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) ipilimumab plus nivolumab have significantly increased survival rate for squamous cell esophageal cancer when combined with standard chemotherapy. Surgical resection has evolved to one that often accompanies neoadjuvant chemo and radiation. The increasing efficacy of this approach may de-necessitate many major resections, and increase the number of sub-anatomic resections and minimally invasive procedures. Improved techniques - notably for hepatectomy, whipple procedure, prostatectomy, nephrectomy - have increased the safety profile and decreased the perioperative physiologic burden. This has enabled a broader subset of patients (due to cancer burden or due to medical comorbidities) to qualify for the operation, and increased the involvement of anesthesia and their perioperative services. With an increase in surgical candidacy comes an increase in post-surgical complications, and post-surgical maintenance such as drains, embolizations, imaging studies, etc. In the non-OR anesthesia realm, there have been considerable advancements in cancer “micro-treatments” such as hepatic metastasis embolization, tumor ablation, and peri-tumor vascular embolization. There are an ever-increasing number of IR-guided embolizations for bleeding tumors, aspiration of malignant effusions, and drainage of abscesses. This review serves to provide insight into new categories of chemotherapy and their perioperative implications.

On Feb. 6^th, 2020, FDA implemented the enforcement priorities against all flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarettes other than menthol and tobacco flavors. This ban undermined the products’ attraction to vapers, so e-cigarette manufacturers added flavorants of other attractive flavors into tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes and re-established attractions. Both the sales of e-cigarettes and posts on social media suggested that the manufacturers’ strategies are likely “successful”. The re-established attraction causes not only a public health issue, but also threats to the health of individual vapers. Research has shown an increase in toxicity associated with the flavorants commonly used in flavored e-cigarettes that are likely added in tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes based on tobacco-derived and synthetic tobacco free nicotine, and these other flavors are associated with higher clinical symptoms not often induced by only natural traditional tobacco flavors. The additional health risks posed by the flavorants are pronounced even without considering the interactions of toxicology of the different tobacco flavorants, and more research should be done to understand the health risks thoroughly and to take proper actions accordingly for regulation of these emerging products.

Management of calcium and phosphate in biofluids is key to maintaining physiological mineral homeostasis (i.e., appropriate mineralization of hard tissues and an absence of mineral deposition in soft tissues). This review describes and contrasts the ways vertebrates manage calcium phosphate in two biological fluids (breast milk and serum) and illustrates the benefits of mineral sequestration by proteins. In milk, phosphoprotein-sequestered calcium magnesium phosphates provide nutritional support, whereas in serum, protein-sequestered calcium phosphates control transport and delivery of calcium and phosphate to tissues for biological function or excretion. In addition, subsets of sequestered phosphates in serum have been identified as culprits underlying ectopic deposition of calcium phosphates and toxicity.

Background. Many anticancer drugs used in clinical practice cause adverse events such as oral mucositis, neurotoxicity, and extravascular leakage. We have reported that two 3-styrylchromone derivatives, 7-methoxy-3-[(1E)-2-phenylethenyl]-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (compound A) and 3-[(1E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]-7-methoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (compound B) showed the highest tumor-specificity against human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines among 291 related compounds. After confirming their superiority by comparing their tumor specificity with newly synthesized 65 derivatives, we investigated the neurotoxicity of these compounds, in comparison with 4 popular anticancer drugs. Methods: Tumor-specificity (TSM, TSE, TSN) was evaluated as the ratio of mean CC50 for human normal oral mesenchymal (gingival fibroblast, pulp cell), oral epithelial cells (gingival epithelial progenitor), and neuronal cells (PC-12, SH-SY5Y, LY-PPB6, differentiated PC-12) to OSCC cells (Ca9-22, HSC-2), respectively. Results: Compounds A and B showed one-order of magnitude higher TSM as compared with newly synthesized derivatives, confirming its prominent tumor-specificity. Docetaxel showed one order of magnitude higher TSM, but two order of magnitude lower TSE than compounds A and B. Compounds A and B showed higher TSM, TSE and TSN values than doxorubicin, 5-FU and cisplatin, damaging OSCC cells at concentrations that do not affect the viability of normal epithelial and neuronal cells. QSAR prediction based on the Tox21 database suggested that compounds A and B may inhibit the signaling pathway of estrogen-related receptors.

The introduction of cancer therapeutics and nanotechnology has resulted in a paradigm shift from conventional therapy to precision medicine. Nanotechnology, an interdisciplinary field with a focus on biomedical applications, holds immense promise in bringing about novel approaches for cancer detection, diagnosis, and therapy. The past decade has witnessed significant research and material applications related to nanoparticles (NPs). NPs differ from small-molecule drugs as they possess unique physicochemical characteristics, such as a large surface-to-volume ratio, enabling them to penetrate live cells efficiently. Traditional cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, have limitations, such as cytotoxicity, lack of specificity, and multiple drug resistance, which pose significant challenges for effective cancer treatment. However, nanomaterials have unique properties that enable new therapeutic modalities beyond conventional drug delivery in the fight against cancer. Moreover, nanoparticles (1-100 nm) have numerous benefits, such as biocompatibility, reduced toxicity, excellent stability, enhanced permeability and retention effect, and precise targeting, making them ideal for cancer treatment. The purpose of this article is to provide consolidated information on various bio-inspired nanoparticles that aid in cancer theragnostics.

Oral mucosa is a key player in the cancer patient and during cancer treatment. The increasing prevalence of cancer and cancer therapy associated side effects are behind the major role that oral mucosa plays in the oncological patient. Oral mucositis is a debilitating severe complication caused by early toxicity of chemo and/or radiotherapy that can restrict treatment outcome possibilities, even challenging patient’s survival. It has been referred to as the most feared cancer treatment complication. Predictive variables as to who and to what extent will be affected are still unclear. Additionally, oral mucositis is one of the sources of the increasing economic burden of cancer, not only for patients and their families but also for institutions and governments. All efforts should be implemented in the search for new approaches to minimize the apparently ineluctable outburst of oral mucositis along the cancer treatment. New perspectives derived from different approaches in explaining the interrelation between oral mucositis and oral microbiome or the similarities with genitourinary mucosa may help elucidate the biomolecular pathways and mechanisms behind oral mucosa cancer-therapy related toxicity and what is more important its management in order to minimize treatment side effects and to provide enhanced cancer support.

Small molecules that can modulate or stabilize cell-cell interactions are valuable tools for investigating the impact of collective cell behavior on various biological processes such as development/morphogenesis, tissue regeneration and cancer progression. Recently, we showed that budesonide, a glucocorticoid widely used as anti-asthmatic drug, is a potent regulator of stem cell pluripotency. Here we tested the effect of different budesonide derivatives and identified CHD-030498 as a more effective analogue of budesonide. CHD-030498 was able to prevent stem cell pluripotency exit in different cell-based models, including embryonic stem-to-mesenchymal transition, spontaneous differentiation and 3D gastruloid development, and at lower doses compared to budesonide.

Interest in developing novel crop protectants has gained attention in the recent decade due to the hazardous effects of synthetic pesticides on humans and the environment. The citrus industry worldwide is threatened by the D. citri, the primary vector of phlo-em-limited bacterium (HLB) or citrus greening. However, there is no cure for citrus greening available. Diaphorina citri management largely depends on synthetic insecticides, but their massive application leads to resistance in pest populations. Therefore, alternative pest management strategies are needed. Our results indicated fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with ABEO than on control 48 h after re-lease. The psyllid fed on citrus leaves treated with ABEO significantly secreted less honeydew than the control. The essential oil showed potent ovicidal activity against the D. citri eggs with LC50 5.88 mg/mL. Furthermore, we also explore the fitness of D. citri on ABEO-treated and untreated Citrus × sinensis by using two-sex life table tools. The results indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was higher on untreated seedlings (0.10 d−1) than those treated with a sub-lethal dose of ABEO (0.07 d−1). Similarly, the net re-productive rate (R0) was higher for untreated seedlings (14.21 offspring) than those treated (6.405 offspring). Notably, the ABEO were safer against Aphis melifera, with LC50 ranging from 31.05 to 55.86 mg/mL, which is relatively higher than the LC50 24.40 mg/mL values against D. citri. Our results indicate that ABEO exhibits toxic and behavioral effects on D. citri that could be useful for managing this pest.

Keywords: head-and-neck cancer; chemoradiation; cisplatin; carboplatin; loco-regional control; metastases-free survival; overall survival; toxicity.

Alginate extraction is from seaweed, and lignin separation is from by-product corn (stalks and leaves). Alginate/lignin is a synthetic polymer rich in biological activity of great interest. Antioxidant activities of alginate/lignin were evaluated, such as total antioxidant activity, reducing power activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, and α – glucosidase inhibition activity. The test of anticancer activity was on four cell lines (Hep G2, fibroblast, MCF-7, and NCI H460). Determination of physical-chemistry characteristics of alginate/lignin was through FTIR, DSC, SEM_EDS, SEM_EDS mapping, XRD, XRF, and 1H-NMR. A study of acute toxicity of alginate/lignin was on Swiss albino mice. The results showed alginate/lignin possessed antioxidant activity such as total antioxidant activity, reducing power activity, especially, α – glucosidase inhibition activity, and no free radical scavenging activity. Alginate/lignin did not be typical in cancer cell lines. Alginate/lignin existed in a thermally stable regular spherical shape in the investigated thermal region. Some specific functional groups of alginate and lignin did not exist in alginate/lignin crystal. Elements such as C, O, Na, and S were popular in the alginate/lignin structure. LD0 and LD100 of alginate/lignin in mice were 3.91 g/kg and 9.77 g/kg, respectively. Alginate/lignin is the potential for application as pharmaceutical materials, functional foods, and supporting diabetes treatment.

From 2020 to 2023 many people around the world were forced to wear masks for large proportions of the day based on mandates and laws. We aimed to study the potential of face masks for the content and release of inanimate toxins. A scoping review of 1003 studies was performed (database search in PubMed/MEDLINE, qualitative and quantitative evaluation). Twenty-four studies were included (experimental time 17 min to 15 days) evaluating content and/or release in 631 masks (273 surgical, 228 textile and 130 N95 masks). Most studies (63%) showed alarming results with high micro- and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs) release and exceedances could also be evidenced for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), xylene, acrolein, per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates (including di(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, DEHP) and for Pb, Cd, Co, Cu, Sb and TiO₂. Of course, masks filter bacteria, dirt and plastic particles and fibers from the air we breathe and have specific indications, but according to our data they also carry risks. Depending on the application, a risk-benefit analysis is necessary. However, mask mandates during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have been generating an additional source of potentially harmful exposition to toxins at population level with almost zero distance to the airways.

Citation: To be added by editorial staff during production.

Boron (B) toxicity is an important stress that negatively affects maize yield and quality production. The excessive B content in agricultural lands is a growing problem due to the increase in arid and semi-arid areas because of climate change. Recently, two Peruvian maize landraces, Sama and Pachía, were physiologically characterized based on their tolerance to B toxicity, the former being more tolerant to B excess than Pachía. However, many aspects regarding the molecular mechanisms of these two maize landraces against B toxicity are still unknown. In this study, a leaf proteomic analysis of Sama and Pachía was performed. Out of a total of 2793 proteins identified only 303 proteins were differentially accumulated. Functional analysis indicated that many of these proteins are involved in transcription and translation processes, amino acids metabolism, photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, protein degradation, and protein stabilization and folding. Compared to Sama, Pachía had a higher number of differentially expressed proteins related to protein degradation, and transcription and translation processes under B toxicity conditions, which might reflect the greater protein damage caused by B toxicity in Pachía. Our results suggest that higher tolerance to B toxicity of Sama can be attributed to more stable photosynthesis that would avoid damage caused by stromal over-reduction under this stress condition.

We have established earlier a cell line from the human limbal area to study cell growth and response to the toxic effects of antibiotics used in ophthalmology. In the recent work, the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in cornea damage was investigated in vitro and in vivo in mice. In the in vitro experiments, the physiological effects of multi-walled carbon nano-tube (MWCNT) bundles on corneal wound healing were mimicked in vitro by a reepithelization limbal stem cell model. Murine in vivo experiments were performed with intact, non-functionalized MWCNTs to confirm the validity of in vitro tests. The MWCNTs of 10 -30 nm outer diameter at low concentration (5 µg/ml) did not interfere with the wound healing of the damaged limbal cell monolayer. Higher than 50 µg/ml concentrations: a) generated MWCNT aggregates, b) restrained the movement and prolonged the time of wound healing, c) increased the amplitudes of the oscillations of the cells, and d) resulted in scar formation affecting both cor-neal function and refraction. Chromatin condensation, a sensitive test of the viability of cells, including limbal stem cells revealed that the presence of a low concentration of nanotubes (5 µg/ml), did not significantly affect the viability of limbal cells. Chromatin condensation was completed and metaphase chromosomes were seen at higher MWCNT concentration proving that their aggregates did not affect the viability of limbal cells. This concentration of MWCNTs (5 µg/ml) did impact neither the reepithelization in vitro nor in vivo in the scratched eyes of mice. Scar formation took place at higher than 50 µg/ml concentrations and the healing of the cornea was prevented by the lack of movement of increasingly larger macroaggregates. In vivo murine experiments vali-dated in vitro monolayer regrowth followed by time-lapse microscopy portraying realistically the reepithelization of the damaged cornea that process was gradually slowed down by macro aggregate formation and caused the scarring of the cornea.

As two commonly-used non-selective herbicides, glyphosate (GP) and diquat (DQ) are easily co-resided in lateritic paddy soil due to the rich iron/aluminum oxides, nevertheless there is limited information on their co-impact on microbial diversity and community structure in this type soil. In this study, the short-term effects of combined GP and DQ on soil microbial diversity and community structure shifts were investigated in lateritic paddy soil from a tropical agricultural region (Hainan, China) based on 16S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that mixed herbicides promoted the abundance of Streptomyces in bacteria (0.45-1.84%) and Curvularia in fungi (0.01-5.85%), while GP and DQ had inhibitory effects on the abundance of Streptomyces (0.13-2.21%) and Curvularia (0.03-1.13%), which were significantly different with their single exposure (p < 0.05); the combined application of the two herbicides aggravate the adverse effect on the diversity of soil fungal community (p < 0.05), although their mixture did not have a greater impact on the soil bacteria abundance/diversity and fungi abundance (p > 0.05). Results suggested that the combined application of GP and DQ affected the fungal diversity although they did not cause other significant negative effects on soil microorganisms, hinting that more attention should be paid to the mixed effect caused by GP and DQ on specific fungal populations in lateritic paddy soil.

Microalgae are naturally adapted to fluctuating availability of phosphorus (P) being capable to opportunistically uptake large amounts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and safely store it in the cell as polyphosphate. Hence, many microalgal species are remarkably resilient to high concentrations of external Pi. Here we report on an exception from this pattern comprised by a failure of the high Pi-resilience in a strain Micractinium simplicissimum IPPAS C-2056 normally coping with a very high Pi concentrations. This phenomenon occurred after abrupt re-supplementation of Pi to the M. simplicissimum culture pre-starved of P. This was the case even if Pi was re-supplemented in a concentration far below the level toxic to the P-sufficient culture. We hypothesize that this effect can be mediated by a rapid formation of the potentially toxic short-chain polyphosphate following the mass influx of Pi into the P-starved cell. A possible reason for this is that the preceding P starvation impairs the capacity of the cell of converting the newly absorbed Pi into a “safe” storage form of long-chain polyphosphate. We believe that findings of this study can help to avoid sudden culture crashes, they are also of potential significance for development of algae-based technologies for efficient bioremoval of P from P-rich waste streams.

Nitrogen (N) strongly affects plant growth and metabolism. For shikonin biosynthesis, although the ammonium toxicity phenomenon has been reported, the effects of nitrogen on the shikonin synthesis remains obscure. In this study, we carried out four different concentrations of NH4+ treatments on Arnebia euchroma hairy roots (AEHR) to clarify the influence of NH4+ on the growth and shikonin accumulation in A. euchroma and the possible mechanism. The results showed that compared with the 0% NH4+ treatment (only nitrate as nitrogen source), 10% NH4+ treatment increased the fresh weight and the dry weight of AEHR, and promoted the synthesis of shikonins; 20% NH4+ treatment started to show the inhibition effects on growth and shikonin accumulation of AEHR and 30% NH4+ treatment exhibited the strongest inhibition effects. With increased percentage of NH4+, AEHRs became shorter and thicker with more branches. To further elucidate the mechanism, we analyzed the time-course of nitrogen assimilation, gene expression level of key enzymes involved in the shikonin biosynthesis pathway, and contents of various endogenous hormones under NH4+ toxicity condition. Results indicated that auxin and cytokinin might regulate the growth and architecture of AEHR under NH4+ toxicity, and jasmonate level was reduced along with the inhibition of shikonin biosynthesis. This first comprehensive investigation into the effects of ammonium/nitrate ratio on shikonin biosynthesis not only provided valuable data for optimizing the in vitro culture and shikonin production in A. euchroma, but also suggested potential fertilizer strategies for its cultivation.

The conventional use of medicinal plants is in part based on the widespread belief that plant crude extracts are non-toxic. In South Africa, traditional preparations of Cassipourea flanaganii used to treat hypermelanosis have accordingly been regarded by many as non-toxic. Whether so, impacts on the potential of bark extracts to be developed as a commercial drug to treat melasma, given their documented capacity to inhibit tyrosinase activity. Our study investigated the acute and subacute toxicity of the methanol extract of C. flanaganii bark in rats. Wistar rats were randomly assigned into different treatment groups. The rats received daily oral gavage of crude extract for acute and sub-acute toxicity tests. Haematological, biomechanical, clinical and histopathology examinations were carried out to evaluate possible toxicity of C. flanaganii. Results were subjected to the Student’s t-test and ANOVA. For both acute and subacute toxicity, there was no statistical difference between groups. There were no clinical or behavioral signs of toxicity observed in the rats. No treatment-related gross pathology lesions as well as no histopathology was observed. The findings of this study demonstrate the absence of acute or subacute toxicity after oral treatment with C. flanaganii bark extracts in Wistar rats at the levels administered.

Carrageenan (car-), used in the pharmaceutical as well as food industry, is marine sulfated polysaccharides. The carrageenan blends (CB) of kappa (κ-), iota (ι-), and lambda (λ-) of 50/50 weight by weight are multipurpose and biocompatible hydrophilic polymers. They were subjected to adsorption of copper (Cu2+) ions. The aim of the study was to conduct extensive rheological and mechanical studies rendering them suitable for biological purposes. The rheology was conducted at various temperatures using a frequency curve, frequency sweep, loss modulus, and storage modulus analysis. Models of rheology like Ostwald, Bingham, and Modified Bingham models were utilized. The rheological results demonstrated non-Newtonian/pseudo-plastic behavior at various temperatures. The models of rheology demonstrated good flow properties and rheological performance of these materials. These materials could be exploited for their application in pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. Thus, our study reflects that these CB can be safely exploited in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and food industry. However, further studies should be conducted to evaluate their effectiveness in clinical studies.

This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of vaping from various perspectives that contributes to the origin, development, achievement, and consequences of the greed of e-cigarette manufacturers. In our analysis, multiple elements of the social landscape, including economic, cultural, moral, psychological, and philosophical dimensions, contributed to the origin and development of the vaping greed and shaped people’s behaviors. Further discussion was made on how the specific characteristics of e-cigarette products and the marketing strategies of the companies, especially social media marketing, fostered the growth of such greed. Through interviews, we have also discussed the unfolding of this greed within the community of teenage vapers. The growth of the vaping greed was manifested in the large market share taken by the companies, but these all significantly harm people’s health and the communities. Nicotine and other chemicals in e-liquids promote each other’s negative effects in the mechanism leading to pulmonary symptoms and addiction, which are not limited to the physical level. We described that addiction could be transgenerational and can induce trauma both at an individual level and a community level. Overall, the greed of the vaping industry is a very complex system. The treatment of the greed shall be complicated as well: Besides the public health measures taken to treat the symptoms of the greed, we should educate individuals to be aware of their unfulfilled needs to regain authenticity and establish an infallible authority to enforce universal morality, which eradicates the complications of addiction and the root of the capitalists’ greed, respectively.

Background: Aluminum phosphide (AlP), also known as “rice tablet,” is widely used as an effective pesticide. However, AlP poisoning is a common cause of mortality in many countries, such as Iran. Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote for AlP toxicity to date. AlP releases phosphine gas when it is exposed to moisture and acid. Phosphine is a robust mitochondrial toxin that could significantly inhibit cellular energy metabolism. AlP poisoning is an emergency condition that needs instant and effective intervention. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a simple saccharide used for several pharmacological as well as cosmetic purposes. Previously, we found that DHA could significantly prevent mitochondrial impairment induced by toxic agents such as cyanide and phosphine in various in vitro and in vivo experimental models.Methods: Hospitalized patients (n = 111) were evaluated for eligibility criteria. Among these patients, n = 35 cases were excluded due to incomplete data (n = 11) and suspicion of poisoning rather than AlP (n = 24). Meanwhile, n = 76 cases with confirmed AlP poisoning were included in the study. AlP-poisoned patients who did not receive DHA (n =18) were used as the control group.Patients (n = 58) received at least one dose of DHA (500 ml of 5% DHA solution w/v, i.v.) in addition to routine treatment of AlP poisoning. Arterial blood gas (ABG), blood pH, bicarbonate levels, and other vital signs and biochemical measurements were monitored. Moreover, the mortality rate and time of hospitalization were evaluated in both DHA-treated (n = 58) and AlP-poisoned patients without DHA administration (n = 18). Several biomarkers were assessed before (upon hospitalization) and after DHA treatment. The routine tests for AlP-poisoned patients in this study were the measurement of electrolytes (K+ and Na+), WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, INR, carbonate (HCO3), blood pH, PaCO2, and PaO2 and SGPT, SGOT, BUN, Cr. Results: Upon patients' admission, significant decreases in blood pH (acidosis), blood PaO₂, and HCO₃ levels were the hallmarks of AlP poisoning. It was found that DHA significantly alleviated biomarkers of AlP poisoning and tremendously enhanced patients’ survival rate compared to patients treated based on hospital routine AlP poisoning protocols (no DHA). No significant adverse effects were evident in DHA-treated patients in the current study.Interpretation: These data suggest that parenteral DHA is a novel and effective antidote against AlP poisoning.Trial registration: IR.SUMS.REC.1394.102

We report the isolation of two novel degrading bacterial strains active against the potential environmental pollutant acetamino-phen/paracetamol. Streptomyces Chrestomyceticus (RS2) and Streptomyces Flavofuscus (M33) collected from El-Natrun Valley, Egypt, water, sediment, and sand samples were taxonomically characterized via conidiophores morphologic characterization under Trans-mission Electron Microscope (TEM). Genotypic identification, done based on their 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis followed by BLAST alignment and deposited on the NCBI as 2 novel strains. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using an appropriate software. Acetaminophen degradation-products chemical structure was identified by GC/LC MS. The biological antimicrobial activity of some selected acetaminophen degradation-products extracts and derived compounds was examined against panel of test micro-organisms and found to be have high anti-microbial effect. In addition, in silico cheminformatics Swiss ADMET evaluation of these selected deg-radation extract for gastric absorption, distribution, hepatic metabolism, renal excretion as well as distribution to CNS and finally not mutagenic/teratogenic or genotoxic virtually. In vitro cytotoxic activity of these selected bio-degradation products was performed against HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cell lines, revealing that M33 and RS2 extract effect on acetaminophen/paracetamol bio-degradation products are potentially safe with higher IC50 on HepG2 and MCF7, in comparison to acetaminophen/paracetamol with IC50 of 108.5 μg/ml. Moreover, the in vivo acute oral single dose toxicity experiment was conducted, being compared with acetamino-phen/paracetamol to confirm that the bio-degradation products have lower toxicity than acetaminophen in vivo and in silico.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be a life-saving intervention in cases of potentially reversible refractory respiratory failure. One such indication can be bleomycin-induced lung injury. However, in some cases, the injury can be so severe that it becomes irreversible and creates complex medical decisions regarding life support and the continuation of care when no additional therapeutic options are feasible, particularly in cases of patients who were young and fully functional prior to an acute illness. In cases of full pulmonary replacement with mechanical support and the degree of functionality that can be attained utilizing modalities such as ECMO can obscure the true severity of illness and make end-of-life decisions significantly harder for families and caregivers.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are a ubiquitous kind of environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, causing environmental and health issues. EstJ6 is an effective phthalate-degrading hydrolase, and its mutant with a combination of three non-conservative distal mutations has an improved activity against PAEs with unknown molecular mechanisms. Herein, we attempt to fill the significant gap between distal mutations and the activity of this enzyme using computational approaches. We find mutations result in a redistribution of enzyme’s preexisting conformational states and dynamics changes of key functional regions, especially the lid over the active site. The outward motion of the lid upon mutations should make it easier for substrates or products to enter or exit. Additionally, the stronger substrate binding affinity and conformational rearrangements of catalytic reaction-associated residues in mutant, accompanied by the strengthened communication within the protein, might contribute to the elevated catalytic efficiency. Finally, an attempt has been done to improve the thermostability of EstJ6 upon introducing a distal disulfide bond between residues A23 and A29, and the simulation results are as expected. Together, our work explored the allosteric effects caused by distal mutations, which could provide insights into the rational design of esterases for industrial applications in the future.

Gossypol is a complex plant polyphenol reported to be cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory, but little was known about its effect on gene expression in macrophages. The objective was to explore gossypol’s toxicity and its effect on gene expression involved in inflammatory responses, glucose transport and insulin signaling pathway in mouse macrophages. Mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with multiple concentrations of gossypol for 2-24 h. Gossypol toxicity was estimated by MTT assay and soluble protein content. qPCR analyzed the expression of anti-inflammatory tristetraprolin family (TTP/ZFP36), proinflammatory cytokine, glucose transporter (GLUT) and insulin signaling genes. Cell viability was greatly reduced by gossypol, accompanied with dra-matic reduction of soluble protein content in the cells. Gossypol treatment resulted in an increase of TTP mRNA level 6-20 fold and increased ZFP36L1, ZFP36L2 and ZFP36L3 mRNA levels by 26-69 fold. Gossypol increased proinflammatory cytokine TNF, COX2, GM-CSF, INFγ and IL12b mRNA levels up to 39-458 fold. Gossypol treatment upregulated mRNA levels of GLUT1, GLUT3 and GLUT4 genes as well as INSR, AKT1, PIK3R1 and LEPR but not APP genes. This study demonstrated that gossypol induced macrophage death and reduced soluble protein content that was accom-panied with massive stimulation of anti-inflammatory TTP family and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression as well as elevation of gene expression involved in glucose transport and insulin signaling pathway in mouse macrophages.