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Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019 Feb 13;173:165-173. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Tianjin 300191, China. Electronic address:

Graphene oxide (GO) is extensively used in various fields because of its versatility. The presence of GO in the environment enhances the toxicity of toxicants or pollutants. Cadmium (Cd) and GO pollution is a problem in aquatic environment, which should be solved. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019 Feb 13;173:156-164. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Soil, and Groundwater-Management, Institute for Soil Engineering, Water and Wastewater Management, University of Wuppertal, Pauluskirchstraße 7, Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea.

The present study demonstrated the possible impacts of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe NPs) on the alleviation of toxic effects of cadmium (Cd) in wheat and enhance its growth, yield, and Fe biofortification. A pot experiment was conducted in historically Cd-contaminated soil using five levels of Fe NPs (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 ppm) by soil and foliar application methods. The plants were harvested after 125 days of growth while vegetative parameters, antioxidant capacity, electrolyte leakage (EL) in leaves as well as Cd, and Fe concentrations in wheat grains, roots, and shoots were measured. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019 Feb 13;172:538-546. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Faculty of Soil Science, Lomonosov Moscow State University, bld. 1/12, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia.

The objective of this research is to find correlations between traffic-related contaminants in the roadside soils and their ecotoxicity. The study was conducted in Moscow in the vicinity of a highway of 125 000 vehicles per day. The topsoils (0-3 cm depth) were sampled perpendicular to the road at 1-, 6-, 10-, 18- and 50-m distances from the roadbed. Read More

Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2019 Jan 25;9:80-86. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

International Livestock Research Institute, P. O. Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address:

Chemotherapy of East Coast fever, a lymphoproliferative cancer-like disease of cattle causing significant economic losses in Africa, is largely dependent on the use of buparvaquone, a drug that was developed in the late 1980's. The disease is caused by the tick-borne protozoan pathogen Theileria parva. Buparvaquone can be used prophylactically and it is also active against tropical theileriosis, caused by the related parasite Theileria annulata. Read More

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2019 Feb 6;177:306-312. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymeric Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, PR China.

Gene transfection, as an effective treatment for inherited and acquired life threatening diseases caused by genetic deficiencies and abnormalities, has evolved as a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer and other intractable diseases. Non-target-specific vectors will affect normal cells as well as pathogenic cells, resulting in a relative decrease in transfection efficiency and unnecessary cytotoxicity. In the present work, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with folate (FA)-modified polyethylenimine (PEI-FA) were prepared by a single step method (without additional reducing agent) for targeted gene transfection in tumor cells. Read More

Plant Physiol Biochem 2019 Feb 8;137:93-101. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address:

Aluminum (Al) toxicity in the acid soils (pH ≤ 5) is the major limiting abiotic factor affecting the productivity of crops. Boron (B) has been reported to alleviate Al toxicity. In spite of recent advances, it is not clear how B relieves Al toxicity. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

H.E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; Department of Biochemistry, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (P.C.M.D.), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tetrapleura tetrapteura Taub. is a leguminous multipurpose tree (Fabaceae) indigenous to tropical Africa. Fruits, seeds and stem bark infusions or decoctions of Tetrapleura tetrapteura Taub. Read More

Neuroscience 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas-Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Several studies have demonstrated the antitumor effect of doxazosin, an α1-adrenergic blocker, against glioma and breast, bladder and prostate cancers. Doxazosin is also being evaluated as a treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder and alcoholism, and α1-adrenergic blockers have been linked to neuroprotection in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Cancer and AD have an inverse relationship in many aspects, with several factors that contribute to apoptosis inhibition and proliferation being increased in cancers but decreased in AD. Read More

Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390002, Gujarat, India. Electronic address:

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of 55 to 200 CGG repeats (premutation) in FMR1. These CGG repeats are Repeat Associated non-ATG (RAN) translated into a small and pathogenic protein, FMRpolyG. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of FMRpolyG toxicity are unclear. Read More

Reprod Toxicol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Diseases, Wuhan 430071, China. Electronic address:

Hepatic and pulmonary toxicity in fetal rats induced by pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) was investigated. Retrorsine (RTS) or monocrotaline (MCT) was intragastrically administered during pregnancy. The reduction of body and tail lengths was consistent with body weight loss in PA-exposed fetuses, and pathological lesions in liver and lung were observed only in fetuses. Read More

Toxicol In Vitro 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Nanobiology Laboratory, Department of Natural and Exact Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, PUCMM, Autopista Duarte Km 1 ½, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. Electronic address:

Ferrite nanoparticles (NPs) have gained attention in biomedicine due to their many potential applications, such as targeted drug delivery, their use as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging and oncological treatments. The information about the risk effects of ferrite NPs in human blood cells is, however, scarce. To assess their potential toxicity, in vitro studies were carried out with magnetite and zinc, nickel and nickel‑zinc ferrites NPs at different concentrations (50, 100 and 200 μg·ml). Read More

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, MI. Electronic address:

Purpose: To update outcome and toxicity results of a prospective trial of 19 Gy single-fraction high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: Patients were treated on a prospective study of single-fraction HDR brachytherapy. All patients had low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Read More

Life Sci 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Marmara University School of Pharmacy, Istanbul, Turkey.

Aims: The effects of agmatine, an endogenous substance known to have a neuroprotective effect against neurotoxicity has been investigated.

Material And Methods: The primary neuron culture obtained from neonatal rats was exposed to toxicity with paclitaxel and cisplatin and the effect of agmatine on both acute (1 h) and chronic (24 h) exposure was demonstrated by biochemical and molecular analyses. It was demonstrated that the effect of agmatine before and after agmatine was induced by neurotoxicity before agmatine and the effect of agmatine on the formed and occuring toxicities. Read More

Exp Eye Res 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Ross Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; Research and Ophthalmology Services, Veterans Administration of Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, USA. Electronic address:

Purpose: An adverse effect of amantadine, a drug used for Parkinson's disease, is corneal edema. While corneal endothelial cell loss is noted with amantadine toxicity, the reversibility of corneal edema suggests that amantadine affects active mechanisms regulating corneal hydration. Although mainly known as a NMDA receptor antagonist, amantadine is also a K-channel blocker. Read More

Radiol Med 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Oncology Radiation Therapy Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Purpose: To investigate the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of EGFR- or ALK-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with TKI.

Materials And Methods: Clinical data of 106 patients (pts) from five Institutions treated with RT concomitant to TKI were retrospectively revised. Overall survival (OS) and toxicities were analyzed as endpoints of the study. Read More

J Neurooncol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.

Purpose: Preclinical studies have suggested promising activity for the combination of disulfiram and copper (DSF/Cu) against glioblastoma (GBM) including re-sensitization to temozolomide (TMZ). A previous phase I study demonstrated the safety of combining DSF/Cu with adjuvant TMZ for newly diagnosed GBM. This phase II study aimed to estimate the potential effectiveness of DSF/Cu to re-sensitize recurrent GBM to TMZ. Read More

Methods Mol Biol 2019 ;1948:199-208

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease without cure. It is characterized by α-synuclein accumulation and aggregation in dopaminergic and other types of neurons. Because α-synuclein accumulation leads to a toxic gain of function, its ectopic expression in Drosophila has been a useful in vivo model for testing modifiers of its toxicity. Read More

Methods Mol Biol 2019 ;1948:145-156

Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has been a remarkable experimental model for the discovery of fundamental biological processes. The high degree of conservation of cellular and molecular processes between the budding yeast and higher eukaryotes has made it a valuable system for the investigation of the molecular mechanisms behind various types of devastating human pathologies. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Post-graduation Program in Cerrado Natural Resource Conservation and Biological Research Laboratory, Instituto Federal Goiano-Urutaí Campus, Urutai, GO, Brazil.

The advent of biotechnology provided the synthesis of nanoproducts with diverse applications in the field of medicine, agriculture, food, among others. However, the toxicity of many nanoparticles (NP) currently used, which can penetrate natural systems and impact organisms, is not known. Thus, in this study, we evaluated whether the short exposure (5 days) to low concentrations of chitosan-coated zein nanoparticles (ZNP-CS) (0. Read More

Environ Geochem Health 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Environment and Sustainability Department, CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, India.

Estuarine ecosystems of the Bay of Bengal, India, are considered as the most productive environment, which have been persistently threatened by substantial anthropogenic activity. This study aims to investigate the metal contamination in the sediment of two estuaries and possible biomagnifications in the indigenous edible oyster Saccostrea cucullata and related health hazards due to its consumption. The accumulative ecological risks indicated that the sediment is moderate to strongly contaminated with cadmium and lead. Read More

Curr Treat Options Oncol 2019 Feb 15;20(3):20. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery, Head and Neck Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, A-71, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.

Opinion Statement: Despite an overall decline in the incidence of tobacco-related cancers, human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) of the oropharynx is on the rise. The prognosis of HPV-related oropharynx cancer (HPV-OPC) is generally favorable even in locoregionally advanced disease, and a variety of treatment options are available. Though the primary treatment modality of choice remains definitive radiation (RT), surgical resection followed by appropriate adjuvant therapy remains an option, especially in those patients who may not be favorable candidates for definitive radiotherapy, particularly when concurrent chemotherapy is warranted. Read More

Eur J Pediatr 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Pediatric Department, Saint Vincent De Paul Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, PO box 50294, 16102, Nazareth, Israel.

Energy drinks consumption has become increasingly common in the last few years, despite evidence associating these products with vast adverse health effects. This led us to explore the phenomenon of energy drinks consumption in adolescents in the Israeli Arab population of the Nazareth area (Northern Israel), examining their awareness of risks associated with consumption of energy drinks, investigating their immediate effects on the body. Our study revealed that the consumption of energy drinks is very common in adolescents of both sexes, though more common in boys. Read More

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Laboratório de Ictiologia Aplicada (LAB PEIXE), Universidade Vila Velha - UVV, Rua Comissário José Dantas de Melo, no. 21, Boa Vista, Vila Velha, ES, 29102-770, Brazil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of sublethal concentrations of treated landfill leachate on Oreochromis niloticus individuals after exposure for 96 h, by assessing biochemical, genotoxic and immunologic biomarkers. Among biochemical biomarkers (activities of ALT, AST and GST enzymes), the treated landfill leachate did not cause significant alterations on O. niloticus and did not significantly affect leukocytes used as an immunologic biomarker. Read More

Nat Rev Cardiol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.

The role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now widely accepted. Immune cells, including T cells, are influenced by inflammatory signals and contribute to the onset and progression of CVD. T cell activation is modulated by T cell co-stimulation and co-inhibition pathways. Read More

Cell Death Differ 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Redox Homeostasis Group, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013, Sevilla, Spain.

In the presence of aggregation-prone proteins, the cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergo a dramatic shift in their respective redox status, with the cytosol becoming more oxidized and the ER more reducing. However, whether and how changes in the cellular redox status may affect protein aggregation is unknown. Here, we show that C. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 15;9(1):2153. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

INRA, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France.

Diamides belong to one of the newest insecticides class. We characterized cellular effects of the first commercialized diamide, chlorantraniliprole (ChlorAnt). ChlorAnt not only induces a dose-dependent calcium release from internal stores of honey bee muscle cells, but also a dose-dependent blockade of the voltage-gated calcium current involved in muscles and brain excitability. Read More

BMC Cancer 2019 Feb 15;19(1):156. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Urology, Yamagata University, 2-2-2, Iida-nishi, Yamagata, 990-9585, Japan.

Background: We analyzed the efficacy and toxicity of cabazitaxel (CBZ) at high and low initial doses in Japanese patients with docetaxel-resistant castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 118 patients who received CBZ for docetaxel-resistant CRPC in 10 university hospitals in Japan between 2014 and 2016. The rate of decrease of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), adverse events, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients receiving initially high (≥22. Read More

Hum Genomics 2019 Feb 15;13(1):10. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.

Background: Despite a number of different transgenes that can mediate DNA deletion in the developing lens, each has unique features that can make a given transgenic line more or less appropriate for particular studies. The purpose of this work encompasses both a review of transgenes that lead to the expression of Cre recombinase in the lens and a comparative analysis of currently available transgenic lines with a particular emphasis on the Le-Cre and P0-3.9GFPCre lines that can mediate DNA deletion in the lens placode. Read More

BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2019 Feb 15;20(1):13. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Institute of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Background: Basic function of bromine in body is to activate pepsin production in gastritis with low acidity. The present study encompasses a broad in vivo study to evaluate gastroprotective activity of a novel dibromo substituted Schiff base complex against Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: 2, 2'-[1, 2-cyclohexanediylbis (nitriloethylidyne)]bis(4-bromophenol) (CNBP) is synthesized via a Schiff base reaction, using the related ketone and diamine as the starting materials. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Center for New Drug Research and Development, College of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.

Two series of celastrol derivatives were designed and synthesized by modifying carboxylic acid at the 28th position with amino acid, and their intermediates with isobutyrate at the third position. All compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferation activity by four human cancer cell lines (SCG7901, HGC27, HepG2, and Bel7402) and one normal cell LO2. The most promising compound, compound 8, showed superior bioactivity and lower toxicity than others including celastrol. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Research Institute of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Objective: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a drug commonly used for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Although ATO has been shown to cause significant improvement in patients, it is associated with serious side effects, which sometimes lead to the patient's death. In this review paper, we examine the reports of ATO-induced cardiotoxicity in APL patients and evaluate the strategies to reduce the incidence of such toxicity. Read More

J Econ Entomol 2019 Feb 16. Epub 2019 Feb 16.

Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.

Pyrifluquinazon (PQZ) is an Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) Group 9 insecticide that has recently been registered for use in the United States for control of soft-bodied sucking insect pests. Although it has been classified as practically nontoxic to honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), based on acute contact bioassays, additional information on sublethal effects of this insecticide on honey bees is lacking. Read More

Plant Physiol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education; School of Life Science, Shandong University CITY: Qingdao STATE: Shandong Province POSTAL_CODE: 266237 China [CN]

Cadmium (Cd) is a major heavy metal pollutant and Cd toxicity is a serious cause of abiotic stress in the environment. Plants protect themselves against Cd stress through a variety of pathways. In a recent study, we found that mitochondrial pyruvate carriers (MPCs) are involved in Cd tolerance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030;

Genome damage and their defective repair have been etiologically linked to degenerating neurons in many subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients; however, the specific mechanisms remain enigmatic. The majority of sporadic ALS patients feature abnormalities in the transactivation response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43), whose nucleo-cytoplasmic mislocalization is characteristically observed in spinal motor neurons. While emerging evidence suggests involvement of other RNA/DNA binding proteins, like FUS in DNA damage response (DDR), the role of TDP-43 in DDR has not been investigated. Read More

Lancet Oncol 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Background: Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is widely used to treat inoperable stage 1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), despite the absence of prospective evidence that this type of treatment improves local control or prolongs overall survival compared with standard radiotherapy. We aimed to compare the two treatment techniques.

Methods: We did this multicentre, phase 3, randomised, controlled trial in 11 hospitals in Australia and three hospitals in New Zealand. Read More

Aust Crit Care 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Departments of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Western Health, Melbourne, Australia; Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Although propofol is widely used for sedation in intensive care units around Australia, evaluation of bedside nursing practices of the administration of propofol have been limited. We investigated whether there was a discrepancy between the amount of propofol delivered by the infusion pump and that recorded electronically and consequently patient exposure to avoidable harms.

Aims: The aim of this research was to compare the total amount of propofol administered to intensive care patients via a programmable infusion pump with that documented in the electronic medical record (EMR). Read More

J Biomech 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong; Centre for Robotics and Automation, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address:

Aβ, which is highly toxic to neural cells, is commonly present in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, dynamic changes in cell mechanics were monitored under Aβ-induced toxicity. To investigate the changes in cellular mechanical properties, we used Aβ oligomer at different concentrations to treat human neuroblastoma SH-SY5H cells. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States. Electronic address:

Fractionated CyberKnife radiosurgery (CKRS) treatment for acoustic neuromas may reduce the risk of long-term radiation toxicity to nearby critical structures compared to that of single-fraction radiosurgery. However, tumor control rates and clinical outcomes after CKRS for acoustic neuromas are not well described. We retrospectively reviewed all acoustic neuroma patients treated with CKRS (2004-2011) in a prospectively maintained clinical and radiographic database. Read More

Aquat Toxicol 2018 Dec 21. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Biology & Laurier Institute for Water Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada.

The invasion of the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America by sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) in the early 20th century contributed to the depletion of commercial, recreational and culturally important fish populations, devastating the economies of communities that relied on the fishery. Sea lamprey populations were subsequently controlled using an aggressive integrated pest-management program which employed barriers and traps to prevent sea lamprey from migrating to their spawning grounds and the use of the piscicides (lampricides) 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) and niclosamide to eliminate larval sea lampreys from their nursery streams. Although sea lampreys have not been eradicated from the Great Lakes, populations have been suppressed to less than 10% of their peak numbers in the mid-1900s. Read More

Molecules 2019 Feb 15;24(4). Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Cintia 4 (ed. 5), I-80126 Naples, Italy.

In recent years, many studies have highlighted the consistent finding of tramadol (TRA) in the effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) and also in some rivers and lakes in both Europe and North America, suggesting that TRA is removed by no more than 36% by specific disinfection treatments. The extensive use of this drug has led to environmental pollution of both water and soil, up to its detection in growing plants. In order to expand the knowledge about TRA toxicity as well as the nature of its disinfection by-products (DBPs), a simulation of the waste treatment chlorination step has been reported herein. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2019 Feb 15;20(4). Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Physiology and Biomedical Center Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia.

The main function of the lungs is oxygen transport from the atmosphere into the blood circulation, while it is necessary to keep the pulmonary tissue relatively free of pathogens. This is a difficult task because the respiratory system is constantly exposed to harmful substances entering the lungs by inhalation or via the blood stream. Individual types of lung cells are equipped with the mechanisms that maintain pulmonary homeostasis. Read More

Foods 2019 Feb 14;8(2). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Food and Biotechnology, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 30019, Korea.

In this study, biogenic amine content in two types of fermented radish kimchi ( and kimchi) was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). While most samples had low levels of biogenic amines, some samples contained histamine content over the toxicity limit. Additionally, significant amounts of total biogenic amines were detected in certain samples due to high levels of putrefactive amines. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Feb 14;16(4). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory for Public Health Safety/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.

A ninety-day toxicity and toxicokinetics of flurochloridone (FLC) were studied in male Wistar rats with oral administration at doses of 3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg respectively, following the previous study. Apparent toxicity to reproductive system of male rats was still observed at the dose of 10 mg/kg, trace amounts of FLC were still detected 24 hours after administration, testicular weight, epididymal weight and serum testosterone were significantly reduced and sperm abnormalities in epididymis were significantly increased. No abnormalities were found in 3 mg/kg group, it indicated that no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of FLC in male rats was 3 mg/kg/day, far below the dose of 20 mg/kg/day reported by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2019 Feb 14;11(2). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK.

The delivery of anticancer agents to their subcellular sites of action is a significant challenge for effective cancer therapy. Peptides, which are integral to several oncogenic pathways, have significant potential to be utilised as cancer therapeutics due to their selectivity, high potency and lack of normal cell toxicity. Novel Ras protein-Regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (Ran-RCC1) inhibitory peptides designed to interact with Ran, a novel therapeutic target in breast cancer, were delivered by entrapment into polyethylene glycol-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) PEG-PLGA polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). Read More

Molecules 2019 Feb 14;24(4). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.

Heat-Assisted Extraction (HAE) was used for the optimized production of an extract rich in anthocyanin compounds from var. leaves. The optimization was performed using the response surface methodology employing a central composite experimental design with five-levels for each of the assessed variables. Read More

Molecules 2019 Feb 14;24(4). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China.

Based on the analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) complexes with gefitinib with molecular docking, the scaffold-hopping strategy, combination of the active substructures, and structural optimization of EGFR inhibitors, a novel series of benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-]thiazole derivatives was designed, synthesized, and evaluated for antitumor activity in human cancer cell lines and cellular toxicity against human normal cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay and EGFR inhibitory activities in vitro. Some target compounds such as 2-(benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-]thiazol-3-yl)-N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide () and 2-(benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-]thiazol-3-yl)-N-(naphthalen-1-yl)acetamide () have shown significant antitumor activity against the EGFR high-expressed human cell line HeLa. All the target compounds showed hardly any antitumor activity against the EGFR low-expressed human cell line HepG2, and nearly no cellular toxicity against the human normal cell lines HL7702 and human umbilical vein endothelial cell lines (HUVEC). Read More

Plants (Basel) 2019 Feb 14;8(2). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

ICAAM-Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal.

The aims of this study were to isolate, identify and characterize culturable endophytic bacteria from chickpea ( L.) roots grown in different soils. In addition, the effects of rhizobial inoculation, soil and stress on the functionality of those culturable endophytic bacterial communities were also investigated. Read More

Molecules 2019 Feb 14;24(4). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Institute of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China.

With advantageous features such as minimizing the cost, time, and sample size requirements, organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems have garnered enormous interest from researchers for their ability for real-time monitoring of physical parameters by mimicking the in vivo microenvironment and the precise responses of xenobiotics, i.e., drug efficacy and toxicity over conventional two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures, as well as animal models. Read More

Nanomaterials (Basel) 2019 Feb 14;9(2). Epub 2019 Feb 14.

State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.

The toxicity, especially the transgenerational toxicity of quantum dots (QDs) in vivo, is still scarcely understood in spite of great promising applications of QDs in biomedicine. In this study, the maternal status, pregnancy outcome, and fetus development of parental generation (P0) to offspring in three generations (F3) were investigated after Kunming mice perinatal (GD 13-PND 5) exposure to Cd containing QDs (CdSe/ZnS QDs) and CdCl₂. The results show CdSe/ZnS QDs induced placenta injuries in P0 and diminished placenta diameters in F1 and F2. Read More

Biomolecules 2019 Jan 29;9(2). Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Herbal Nanobiotechnology Lab, Pharmacology Division, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, India.

Silver-based nanostructures are suitable for many biomedical applications, but to be useful therapeutic agents, the high toxicity of these nanomaterials must be eliminated. Here, we biosynthesize nontoxic and ultra-small silver nanoclusters (rsAg@NCs) using metabolites of usnioid lichen (a symbiotic association of algae and fungi) that exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity against fluconazole (FCZ)-resistant that is many times higher than chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and FCZ. The rsAg@NCs trigger apoptosis via reactive oxygen species accumulation that leads to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation, chromosomal condensation, and the activation of metacaspases. Read More