Probing the Behaviors of Gold Nanorods in Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Based on UV-vis-NIR Absorption Spectroscopy

In this work, behaviors of positively-charged AuNRs in a highly metastatic tumor cell line MDA-MB-231 are examined based on UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy in combination with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dark-field microscopic observation. It is found that characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks of AuNRs can be detected using spectroscopic method within living cells that have taken up AuNRs. The peak area of transverse SPR band is shown to be proportionally related to the amount of AuNRs in the cells determined with ICP-MS, which suggests a facile and real time quantification method for AuNRs in living cells. The shape of longitudinal SPR band in UV-vis-NIR spectrum reflects the aggregation state of AuNRs in the cells during the incubation period, which is proved by TEM and microscopic observations. Experimental results reveal that AuNRs are internalized by the cells rapidly; the accumulation, distribution and aggregation of AuNRs in the cells compartments are time and dose dependent. The established spectroscopic analysis method can not only monitor the behaviors of AuNRs in living cells but may also be helpful in choosing the optimum laser stimulation wavelength for anti-tumor thermotherapy

Distribution and influencing factors of macrobenthos on three seagrass beds in the intertidal zone of Shandong province, China

IntroductionThe macrobenthos plays a vital role within the ecosystem of seagrass beds, with its characteristics and spatial distribution serving as indicators of the well-being of the seagrass beds.MethodsIn August 2018, three seagrass beds located in the Yellow River Estuary of Dongying, the west coast of Yantai, and Swan Lake of Weihai, were investigated to compare the ecological influences of seagrass habitat on the benthic environment and macrobenthic community. Within each seagrass bed, porewater, sediment, and macrobenthos were sampled from three separate stations (center of seagrass bed, edge of seagrass bed and bare area).Results and discussionOne-way ANOVA showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in environmental factors and macrobenthos species, abundance, biomass and diversity indices among the three seagrass beds. The present data did not show significant impacts on habitat and macrobenthos in the different coverage areas of seagrass beds at the investigated spatial scales, though crustacea and some carnivores were relatively more inclined to inhabit areas with higher seagrass densities. Aquaculture and eutrophication may trigger the loss of seagrass bed habitats, that affects macrobenthic biodiversity, and conservation measures are needed to protect seagrass bed habitats

Detection of biomolecules from nano to atto-gram through plasmonic Elisa via tuning the catalyst

A simple and affordable plasmonic ELISA platform is demonstrated using silver nanocrystals as chromogens, and nanocatalysts in the place of enzyme. Apart from ultralow detection limitup to 10 molecules of human Immunoglobulin G (2.5 × 10−18 g/1.68 × 10−19 M), we exhibit very broad dynamic range covering 11-log which goes up to 100 × 10−9 g/6.72 × 10−9 M. To achieve this broad dynamic range and highly controlled standard deviation, nanocatalysts were tuned in terms of shape, size, metallic ratio, surface modification and other parameters. A comparative study is also done between traditional chromogen to independently developed new silver chromogen, and among different catalysts. Our results indicate plasmonic ELISA with small size nanocatalysts may become a very powerful detection strategy for biomolecules

ZnO Nanoparticles Treatment Induces Apoptosis by Increasing Intracellular ROS Levels in LTEP-a-2 Cells

Owing to the wide use of novel nanoparticles (NPs) such as zinc oxide (ZnO) in all aspects of life, toxicological research on ZnO NPs is receiving increasing attention in these days. In this study, the toxicity of ZnO NPs in a human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line LTEP-a-2 was tested in vitro. Log-phase cells were exposed to different levels of ZnO NPs for hours, followed by colorimetric cell viability assay using tetrazolium salt and cell survival rate assay using trypan blue dye. Cell morphological changes were observed by Giemsa staining and light microscopy. Apoptosis was detected by using fluorescence microscopy and caspase-3 activity assay. Both intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were examined by a microplate-reader method. Results showed that ZnO NPs (≥0.01 μg/mL) significantly inhibited proliferation (P<0.05) and induced substantial apoptosis in LTEP-a-2 cells after 4 h of exposure. The intracellular ROS level rose up to 30–40% corresponding to significant depletion (approximately 70–80%) in GSH content in LTEP-a-2 cells (P<0.05), suggesting that ZnO NPs induced apoptosis mainly through increased ROS production. This study elucidates the toxicological mechanism of ZnO NPs in human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells and provides reference data for application of nanomaterials in the environment

Trends in three malnutrition factors in the global burden of disease: iodine deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition (1990–2019)

BackgroundVitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition are prevalent malnutrition issues that disproportionately affect low-income countries and pose significant risks to the health and development of children and adolescents. This study offers a detailed examination of these deficiencies' prevalence trends and gender and regional variations using Global Burden of Disease Study data from 1990 to 2019. It also assesses the specific impact on various age groups, providing essential insights for targeted health interventions and policy-making.MethodsData spanning from 1990 to 2019 on Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition were extracted from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASR) were computed by gender, region, and etiology, utilizing the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) to assess temporal trends.ResultsIn 2019, Central Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency, particularly among males, and iodine deficiency peaked in the same region for both genders. South Asia had the highest incidence of protein-energy malnutrition for both genders. Regions with a low Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) showed lower ASR for these deficiencies. Notably, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Maldives recorded the highest ASR for vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition, respectively. The declining ASR trend for vitamin A deficiency, especially among males, suggests effective interventions. East Asia saw a significant increase in iodine deficiency ASR from 1990 to 2019, particularly among women, requiring targeted interventions. The rising ASR of protein-energy malnutrition in several regions, especially among men, raises concerns. Vitamin A deficiency primarily affected children and adolescents, iodine deficiency predominantly impacted adolescents and young adults, and protein-energy malnutrition was chiefly observed among children under 5 years old. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored interventions considering age-specific nutritional needs and challenges

Gold-Nanoparticle-Based Chiral Plasmonic Nanostructures and Their Biomedical Applications

As chiral antennas, plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) can enhance chiral responses of chiral materials by forming hybrid structures and improving their own chirality preference as well. Chirality-dependent properties of plasmonic NPs broaden application potentials of chiral nanostructures in the biomedical field. Herein, we review the wet-chemical synthesis and self-assembly fabrication of gold-NP-based chiral nanostructures. Discrete chiral NPs are mainly obtained via the seed-mediated growth of achiral gold NPs under the guide of chiral molecules during growth. Irradiation with chiral light during growth is demonstrated to be a promising method for chirality control. Chiral assemblies are fabricated via the bottom-up assembly of achiral gold NPs using chiral linkers or guided by chiral templates, which exhibit large chiroplasmonic activities. In describing recent advances, emphasis is placed on the design and synthesis of chiral nanostructures with the tuning and amplification of plasmonic circular dichroism responses. In addition, the review discusses the most recent or even emerging trends in biomedical fields from biosensing and imaging to disease diagnosis and therapy

Distribution and influencing factors of macrobenthos on three seagrass beds in the intertidal zone of Shandong province, China

Introduction The macrobenthos plays a vital role within the ecosystem of seagrass beds, with its characteristics and spatial distribution serving as indicators of the well-being of the seagrass beds. Methods In August 2018, three seagrass beds located in the Yellow River Estuary of Dongying, the west coast of Yantai, and Swan Lake of Weihai, were investigated to compare the ecological influences of seagrass habitat on the benthic environment and macrobenthic community. Within each seagrass bed, porewater, sediment, and macrobenthos were sampled from three separate stations (center of seagrass bed, edge of seagrass bed and bare area). Results and discussion One-way ANOVA showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in environmental factors and macrobenthos species, abundance, biomass and diversity indices among the three seagrass beds. The present data did not show significant impacts on habitat and macrobenthos in the different coverage areas of seagrass beds at the investigated spatial scales, though crustacea and some carnivores were relatively more inclined to inhabit areas with higher seagrass densities. Aquaculture and eutrophication may trigger the loss of seagrass bed habitats, that affects macrobenthic biodiversity, and conservation measures are needed to protect seagrass bed habitats

Study on the Wave-Dissipation Effect of Oyster Reefs Based on the SWAN Numerical Model

In the “Blue Bay Remediation Action” project, the oyster reef plays the dual role of ecological restoration and wave suppression, and the study of the effect of oyster reef wave dissipation forms the basis of relevant projects. Taking the Binzhou oyster reef ecological restoration project as its object, this paper studied the wave-dissipating effect of the oyster reef, using the SWAN model. The simulation results showed that after the deployment of oyster reefs in extreme high-water-level conditions, they could produce a wave-dissipation effect, with a wave-dissipation rate between 8% and 21%. Significant wave-dissipation effects can be produced under the designed high-water-level conditions, with a wave-height dissipation rate of 42% to 65%. Among them, the wave-dissipation effect of oyster reefs was more significant for waves coming from the ENE, NE, N, and NNE directions. This study could provide a scientific reference for the design and layout of oyster reefs

Distribution and influencing factors of macrobenthos on three seagrass beds in the intertidal zone of Shandong province, China

Introduction The macrobenthos plays a vital role within the ecosystem of seagrass beds, with its characteristics and spatial distribution serving as indicators of the well-being of the seagrass beds. Methods In August 2018, three seagrass beds located in the Yellow River Estuary of Dongying, the west coast of Yantai, and Swan Lake of Weihai, were investigated to compare the ecological influences of seagrass habitat on the benthic environment and macrobenthic community. Within each seagrass bed, porewater, sediment, and macrobenthos were sampled from three separate stations (center of seagrass bed, edge of seagrass bed and bare area). Results and discussion One-way ANOVA showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in environmental factors and macrobenthos species, abundance, biomass and diversity indices among the three seagrass beds. The present data did not show significant impacts on habitat and macrobenthos in the different coverage areas of seagrass beds at the investigated spatial scales, though crustacea and some carnivores were relatively more inclined to inhabit areas with higher seagrass densities. Aquaculture and eutrophication may trigger the loss of seagrass bed habitats, that affects macrobenthic biodiversity, and conservation measures are needed to protect seagrass bed habitats