Screening for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations in Lung Cancer

Statistical Databases

Fragmented or otherwise miniaturized plastic materials in the form of micro- or nanoplastics have been of nagging environmental concern. Perturbation of organismal physiology and behavior by micro- and nanoplastics have been widely documented for marine invertebrates. Some of these effects are also manifested by larger marine vertebrates such as fishes. More recently, possible effects of micro- and nanoplastics on mammalian gut microbiota as well as host cellular and metabolic toxicity have been reported in mouse models. Human exposure to micro- and nanoplastics occurs largely through ingestion, as these are found in food or derived from food packaging, but also in a less well-defined manner though inhalation. The pathophysiological consequences of acute and chronic micro- and nanoplastics exposure in the mammalian system, particularly humans, are yet unclear. In this review, we focus on the recent findings related to the potential toxicity and detrimental effects of micro- and nanoplastics as demonstrated in mouse models as well as human cell lines. The prevailing data suggest that micro- and nanoplastics accumulation in mammalian and human tissues would likely have negative, yet unclear long-term consequences. There is a need for cellular and systemic toxicity due to micro- and nanoplastics to be better illuminated, and the underlying mechanisms defined by further work.

Toxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Systems

Microplastics and associated contaminants in the aquatic environment: A review on their ecotoxicological effects, trophic transfer, and potential impacts to human health.

Toxicological interactions of microplastics/nanoplastics and environmental contaminants: Current knowledge and future perspectives.

As nano- and micro-sized plastics accumulate in the environment and the food chain of animals, including humans, it is imperative to assess the effects of nanoplastics in living organisms in a systematic manner, especially because of their ability to adsorb potential toxicants such as pollutants, heavy metals, and organic macromolecules that coexist in the environment. Using the zebrafish embryo as an animal model, we investigated the bioaccumulation and in vivo toxicity of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics individually or in combination with the Au ion. We showed that smaller PS nanoplastics readily penetrated the chorion and developing embryos and accumulated throughout the whole body, mostly in lipid-rich regions such as in yolk lipids. We also showed that PS nanoplastics induced only marginal effects on the survival, hatching rate, developmental abnormalities, and cell death of zebrafish embryos but that these effects were synergistically exacerbated by the Au ion in a dose- and size-dependent manner. Such exacerbation of toxicity was well correlated with the production of reactive oxygen species and the pro-inflammatory responses synergized by the presence of PS, supporting the combined toxicity of PS and Au ions. The synergistic effect of PS on toxicity appeared to relate to mitochondrial damage as determined by ultrastructural analysis. Taken together, the effects of PS nanoplastics were marginal but could be a trigger for exacerbating the toxicity induced by other toxicants such as metal ions.

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Bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics and their effect on the toxicity of Au ions in zebrafish embryos.

The water meniscus condensed between a nanoscale tip and an atomically flat gold surface was examined under humid conditions using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The molecular structure of the meniscus was investigated with particular focus on its width and stability. The capillary force due to the meniscus showed a dampened oscillation with increasing separation between the tip and surface because of the formation and destruction of water layers. The layering of water between the tip and the surface was different from that of the water confined between two plates. The humidity dependence of the capillary force exhibited a crossover behavior with increasing humidity, which is in agreement with the typical atomic force microscopy experiment on a hydrophilic surface.

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Monte Carlo Study on the Water Meniscus Condensation and Capillary Force in Atomic Force Microscopy

Prognostic value of posttreatment neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated by chemoradiotherapy

Using molecular dynamics simulation, we studied the wetting properties of a surface textured with hydrophobic pillars, several nanometers in size. The drying transition of water confined between square or circular pillars was related to the Wenzel (WZ) to Cassie–Baxter (CB) transition of a water droplet deposited on periodic pillars. The inter-pillar spacing at which the drying occurs was compared to that predicted from the continuum theory. Such a comparison revealed that the line tension plays an important role in the drying behavior of the present nm-sized pillars. The water molecules near the pillar walls were layered and ordered in orientation. Our simulation showed a long-lived CB state which eventually turns into the WZ state. In this transition, water slowly penetrated down into the inter-pillar gap until it reached the half height of the pillar, and then quickly reached the base of the pillar.

Molecular dynamics study on the wettability of a hydrophobic surface textured with nanoscale pillars

Summary Purpose To examine the correlation between lymphedema severity stages on lymphoscintigraphy and on indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography in patients with secondary lymphedema after breast cancer. Materials and Methods This retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent both lymphoscintigraphy and ICG lymphography for the evaluation of secondary lymphedema after breast cancer. The images were classified into type I - V according to the Arm Dermal Backflow (ADB) stage and modified MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) stage on ICG lymphography and lymphoscintigraphy images on the basis of how lymphatic flow was preserved and how dermal back flow was extended. The correlation between scales was analysed. Results A total of 47 patients were referred to our hospital for the evaluation of secondary lymphedema after breast cancer. There was no significant difference between lymphoscintigraphy severity scale and ADB stage (anterior and posterior). The lymphoscintigraphy severity scale and modified MDACC stage were significantly different. In the correlation analysis, lymphoscintigraphy and ADB (anterior) stage (r = 0.83), lymphoscintigraphy and ADB (posterior) stage (r = 0.86) and lymphoscintigraphy and modified MDACC stage (r = 0.85) exhibited very strong positive correlations. Intra-rater agreement between lymphoscintigraphy and ADB (anterior) stage and lymphoscintigraphy and ADB (posterior) was substantial (κ=0.62 and κ=0.69, respectively) and fair (κ = 0.36) between lymphoscintigraphy and modified MDACC stage. Conclusion Lymphoscintigraphy severity stage and ADB stage on ICG lymphography showed very strong positive correlation and substantial agreement. These two modalities can work synergistically to evaluate lymphedema severity.

Hyojeong Kim

Papers

Bioaccumulation of polystyrene nanoplastics and their effect on the toxicity of Au ions in zebrafish embryos.

Monte Carlo Study on the Water Meniscus Condensation and Capillary Force in Atomic Force Microscopy

Prognostic value of posttreatment neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated by chemoradiotherapy

Molecular dynamics study on the wettability of a hydrophobic surface textured with nanoscale pillars

Correlation of ICG lymphography and lymphoscintigraphy severity stage in secondary upper limb lymphedema.