Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Planta Med 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Ltd, Reading, UK.

1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids are found naturally in , well known as comfrey, which has a longstanding use for the topical treatment of painful muscle and joint complaints. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are a relevant concern for the safety assessment due to their liver genotoxicity profile, and close attention is paid during manufacturing to minimizing their levels. Current regulatory risk assessment approaches include setting limits that derive from toxicity data coming from the oral route of exposure. Read More

Environ Int 2021 Jun 8;155:106666. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States.

Background: Air pollution exposure has been linked with diminished fertility. Identifying the metabolic changes induced by periconception air pollution exposure among women could enhance our understanding of the potential biological pathways underlying air pollution's reproductive toxicity.

Objective: To identify serum metabolites associated with periconception air pollution exposure and evaluate the extent to which these metabolites mediate the association between air pollution and live birth. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2021 May 28;237:105879. Epub 2021 May 28.

Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China; Center for Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China. Electronic address:

Toxicity in aquatic plants, caused by excess ammonium in the environment, is an important ecological problem and active research topic. Recent studies showed the importance of the enzyme Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GDH) in detoxifying ammonium. However, these results mainly derived from species comparisons, hence some mechanisms may have been obscured due to species differences. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021 Jun 8;220:112398. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Animal-derived Food Safety Testing Technology, Beijing 100193, China; Chinese National Reference Laboratory for Veterinary Drug Residues, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address:

Presently, toxicological assessment of multiple veterinary antimicrobials has not been performed on mammals. In this study, we assessed the short-term toxicity of enrofloxacin (E) combined with colistin (C) and quinocetone (Q). Young male rats were orally dosed drug mixtures and single drugs in 14 consecutive days, each at the dose of 20, 80, and 400 mg/(kg·BW) for environmental toxicologic study. Read More

Chemosphere 2021 May 28;282:131028. Epub 2021 May 28.

College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China; Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.

Effective electron transfer (ET) between microorganisms and electrodes is essential for the toluene degradation and power generation in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this work, the neutral red, with excellent electrochemical reversibility and compatible redox potential as NADH/NAD, was selected as electron mediator to boost the performance of the MFC. Experimental results revealed that, with the 0. Read More

J Environ Manage 2021 Jun 8;294:112945. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environment Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China. Electronic address:

In this study, single and joint inhibitory effects of nitrophenols on activated sludge and variations on the content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were investigated. Results indicate that the nitrophenols adversely affected the organic and NH-N removal of activated sludge and the adverse effect of nitrophenols on autotrophic bacteria was higher than that on heterotrophic bacteria. Further, 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) demonstrated the highest inhibitory effect, followed by 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), and the combined effects of binary and ternary nitrophenols induced additive toxicity. Read More

Acta Biomater 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Sant Antoni Mª Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC Campus Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), C/ Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Electronic address:

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is a widely used scaffold for protein-based targeted nanomedicines because of its high biocompatibility, biological neutrality and outstanding structural stability. However, being immunogenicity a major concern in the development of drug carriers, the use of exogenous proteins such as GFP in clinics might be inadequate. Here we report a human nidogen-derived protein (HSNBT), rationally designed to mimic the structural and functional properties of GFP as a scaffold for nanomedicine. Read More

Mol Plant 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;. Electronic address:

Iron (Fe) storage in plant seeds is not only necessary for seedling establishment following germination, but also a major source of dietary Fe for human and animal life. Seed Fe accumulation was known to be low during early seed development. However, the underlying mechanism and biological significance remain elusive. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2021 Jun 8:114304. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Faculty of Agriculture and Food, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Anneslea fragrans Wall. is traditionally used as a folk medicine in treating indigestion, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, and liver inflammation in China, Vietnam and Cambodia. However, its anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism under a safety therapeutic dose as well as the main chemical components have not yet been fully investigated. Read More

Int J Antimicrob Agents 2021 Jun 8:106372. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, School of Medical Science, The University of Sydney. Electronic address:

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator. The resulting chloride and bicarbonate imbalance produces a thick static lung mucus. This mucus is not easily expelled from the lungs, and so can be colonised by bacteria, leading to biofilm formation. Read More

Int J Pharm 2021 Jun 8:120788. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Centro de Química Inorgánica, CEQUINOR (CONICET-UNLP), Bv. 120 1465, La Plata, Argentina. Electronic address:

The three main FDA-approved platinum drugs in chemotherapy such as carboplatin, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin are extensively applied in cancer treatments. Although the clinical applications of platinum-based drugs are extremely effective, their toxicity profile restricts their extensive application. Therefore, recent studies focus on developing new platinum drug formulations, expanding the therapeutic aspect. Read More

Ann Oncol 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The pivotal phase III ASCENT trial demonstrated improved survival outcomes associated with sacituzumab govitecan (SG), an anti-Trop-2 antibody-drug conjugate linked with the topoisomerase-inhibitor SN-38, over single-agent chemotherapy of physician's choice (TPC) in previously-treated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). This prespecified, exploratory biomarker analysis from the ASCENT trial evaluates the association between tumor Trop-2 expression and germline BRCA1/2 mutation status with clinical outcomes.

Patients And Methods: Patients with mTNBC refractory to or progressing after ≥2 prior chemotherapies, with ≥1 in the metastatic setting, were randomized to receive SG (10 mg/kg intravenously days 1 and 8, every 21 days) or TPC (either capecitabine, eribulin, vinorelbine, or gemcitabine) until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity. Read More

Toxicon 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Bogazici University, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Molecular Toxicology and Cancer Research Laboratory, Bebek-Istanbul, 34342, Turkey; Bogazici University, Center for Life Sciences and Technologies, Bebek-Istanbul, 34342, Turkey. Electronic address:

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a food contaminant mycotoxin with hazardous effects on human and animal health, primarily affecting the kidneys. OTA's mode of action is not well understood. OTA activates both MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, which play role in apoptosis and cell survival, respectively. Read More

Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021 Jun 8:115617. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Program of Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning 110122, PR China. Electronic address:

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality from liver disorders. Various mechanisms, including oxidative stress and impaired lipid metabolism, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ALD. Our previous studies showed that nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator of adaptive antioxidant response and lipid metabolism by using a liver-specific Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2(L)-KO) mouse model. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2021 Jun 8:174236. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 10 Fengcheng Three Road, Xi'an, China; Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education. Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, China. Electronic address:

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) is associated with poor prognoses in the setting of ischemic brain diseases. Silence information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a member of the third class of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent sirtuins. Recently, the role of SIRT1/peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) pathway in organ (especially the brain) protection under various pathological conditions has been widely investigated. Read More

Jpn J Clin Oncol 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Department of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan.

Background: In a phase I study, afatinib (30 mg/body daily) plus bevacizumab (15 mg/kg every 3 weeks) was well tolerated and showed favourable outcomes in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Herein, we report the 2-year progression-free survival, overall survival and safety profile of these patients.

Methods: Chemo-naïve patients with EGFR-mutant advanced non-small-cell lung cancer were enrolled. Read More

Water Sci Technol 2021 Jun;83(11):2669-2677

Department of Chemical Engineering and Metallurgy, University of Sonora, Rosales and Luis Encinas Blvd., Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico E-mail:

This study compares sulfate-reduction performance in an anaerobic sludge with different carbon sources (ethanol, acetate, and glucose). Also, the toxic effect of copper was evaluated to assess its feasibility for possible acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment. Serological bottles with 1. Read More

Int J Paediatr Dent 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Oral mucositis (OM) is an important side effect related to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and it has been associated with a significative reduction of quality of life. A negative impact of this toxicity in pediatric patients could result in an increased use of parenteral feeding and opioids, longer periods of hospitalization and higher risk of systemic infection.

Aim: To investigate the clinical features, and clinical outcomes associated with OM development and severity in hematologic cancer pediatric patients undergoing allo-HSCT who underwent professional dental care (PDC) and photobiomodulation (PBM) as prophylactic treatment. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Civil Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Campus, Khairpur Mirs, Sindh, Pakistan.

This paper uses a new integrated method, namely PHDVPSS, which utilizes vacuum pressure (VP) coupled with prefabricated horizontal drain along with solidification/stabilization (SS) for the effective treatment of high-water content dredged contaminated sediment (DCS). This study sought to evaluate the physico-mechanical and microstructural behaviour of high-water content DCS treated with MgO-GGBS (MG) and Portland cement (PC) as PHDVPSS binders and compared to the traditional Portland cement solidification/stabilization (SS-PC) method. Physico-mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the DCS treated with the PHDVPSS method were evaluated by performing a number of tests such as unconfined compressive strength (UCS), toxicity characteristics of the leaching process (TCLP), pH, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Environmental Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

The submitted work observed Cu, Ni, and Zn effects on selected physiological and stress parameters of the alga Raphidocelis (Pseudokirchneriella) subcapitata. In 96-h experiments, EC50 values for algal specific growth rates (SGR) inhibition in Cu, Ni, and Zn presence were estimated as 0.15, 0. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Korea.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether an initial methotrexate (MTX) dosage is associated with an increased risk of liver toxicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This retrospective study included 730 RA patients who started MTX treatment between 2004 and 2019 at the rheumatology clinic at Seoul National University Hospital. The patients were divided into three groups according to the initial dosage of MTX they received: low (MTX ≤ 7. Read More

Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.

NO (nitric oxide) is an important regulator of neutrophil functions and has a key role in diverse pathophysiological conditions. NO production by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) is under tight control at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels including interactions with heterologous proteins owing to its potent chemical reactivity and high diffusibility; this limits toxicity to other cellular components and promotes signaling specificity. The protein-protein interactions govern the activity and spatial distribution of NOS isoform to regulatory proteins and to their intended targets. Read More

Internist (Berl) 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Klinik I für Innere Medizin, Hämatologie-Onkologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin, Klinikum der Universität Köln, Köln, Deutschland.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Jun;100(23):e26318

Department of Emergency Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.

Rationale: Acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP) is a common critical illness observed in clinical practice, and severe AOPP can cause serious cardiac toxicity.

Patient Concerns: This patient was a 43-year-old woman who was admitted to the emergency department with acute respiratory failure and hypotension 13 hours after oral consumption of 300 mL of phoxim pesticide.

Diagnoses: Acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning, cardiogenic shock. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Jun;100(23):e26300

Department of Depression and Anxiety, Aarhus University Hospital, Skejby, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard, Aarhus, Denmark.

Abstract: In view of the renewed interest in psychedelics in psychiatry it is timely to analyze psychedelic treatment in historical cohorts. Recently the therapeutic efficacy of psychedelics has been linked to the so-called phenomenon of "connectedness." The aim of the present study was to explore whether long-lasting personality changes were observed in any of the 151 Danish psychiatric patients who were treated with Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) from 1960 to 1974. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Jun;100(23):e26255

Department of Oncology, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.

Background: Metronomic chemotherapy (MC) strategy has been used in breast cancer for more than a decade since it was first proposed. The purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate its efficacy and safety for breast cancer patients at various stages, as well as to clarify the most effective medication strategy when applying MC and discover its most sensitive subpopulation in breast cancer patients.

Method: We will systematically retrieve random controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of MC in breast cancer on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and web of science to perform this network meta-analysis. Read More

Elife 2021 Jun 11;10. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States.

Lipid droplets are lipid storage organelles found in nearly all cell types from adipocytes to cancer cells. Although increasingly implicated in disease, current methods to study lipid droplets in vertebrate models rely on static imaging or the use of fluorescent dyes, limiting investigation of their rapid in vivo dynamics. To address this, we created a lipid droplet transgenic reporter in whole animals and cell culture by fusing tdTOMATO to Perilipin-2 (PLIN2), a lipid droplet structural protein. Read More

Drug Deliv 2021 Dec;28(1):1080-1092

Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

The principal goal of the present investigation was to enterprise new and effective drug delivery vesicle for the sustained delivery of local anesthetic lidocaine hydrochloride (LDC), using a novel combination of copolymeric hydrogel with tetrahydroxyborate (COP-THB) to improve bioactivity and therapeutic potential. To support this contention, the physical and mechanical properties, rheological characteristics, and component release of candidate formulations were investigated. An optimized formulation of COP-THB containing LDC to an upper maximum concentration of 1. Read More

Drug Deliv 2021 Dec;28(1):1093-1108

Department of Pharmacy, The Women University, Multan, Pakistan.

In this work, series of pH-responsive hydrogels (FMA1-FMA9) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as potential carrier for oral delivery of an antiviral drug, acyclovir (ACV). Different proportions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), chitosan (CS), methacrylic acid (MAA) and N' N'-methylenebis-acrylamide (MBA) were used to fabricate hydrogels free radical polymerization technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed fabrication of new polymeric network, with successful incorporation of ACV. Read More

Cutan Ocul Toxicol 2021 Jun 11:1-17. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 24100, Erzincan, Turkey.

To investigate the effects of resveratrol on oxidative stress and inflammation parameters and histological alterations in cisplatin-induced optic nerve damage in a mouse model. At the end of the experimental period, the rats were sacrificed with high-dose (50 mg/kg) thiopental sodium, and their optic nerves were dissected. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total glutathione (tGSH), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-KB) levels, and histopathological findings were assessed using the optic nerve tissues. Read More