Effects of Discarded Masks on the Offshore Microorganisms during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Numerous disposable plastic masks had been produced and used for preventing the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic effectively. Discarded masks are a potential source of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems. The effect of discarded masks on offshore microorganisms is still unclear. Herein, we profiled the interaction between the microplastics released by discarded masks and marine microbes. The effects of mask quantity, time, and environment on the microplastic-related communities were determined. We characterized the bacterial communities of each group using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing and correlated the community diversity to the physicochemical properties of seawater. We found that the diversity and richness of microflora on the surface of microplastics with different quantity and time varied significantly. Proteobacteria are the main bacteria on microplastics, and the KEGG metabolic pathway prediction shows that amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were abundant. In addition, there was a correlation between bacterial communities and Antibiotic Resistance Ontology (ARO). We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques to evaluate the plastic polymer characteristics of disposable medical masks. Our research shows that disposable medical masks immersed in seawater can alter the microbial community. This study provides the most recent data and insights into the contamination of discarded masks in the marine environment

Collegio, cultura e regime

Il saggio ripercorre la vita all'interno del Collegio universitario Ghislieri di Pavia negli anni del fascismo, delineando il rapporto tra un'antica istituzione di merito e la politica universitaria del regime fascista: formazione culturale degli alunni, dissenso politico, percorsi individuali

Resveratrol inhibits lipid accumulation in the intestine of atherosclerotic mice and macrophages

Disordered intestinal metabolism is highly correlated with atherosclerotic diseases. Resveratrol protects against atherosclerotic diseases. Accordingly, this study aims to discover novel intestinal proatherosclerotic metabolites and potential therapeutic targets related to the anti-atherosclerotic effects of resveratrol. An untargeted metabolomics approach was employed to discover novel intestinal metabolic disturbances during atherosclerosis and resveratrol intervention. We found that multiple intestinal metabolic pathways were significantly disturbed during atherosclerosis and responsive to resveratrol intervention. Notably, resveratrol abolished intestinal fatty acid and monoglyceride accumulation in atherosclerotic mice. Meanwhile, oleate accumulation was one of the most prominent alterations in intestinal metabolism. Moreover, resveratrol attenuated oleate-triggered accumulation of total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and neutral lipids in mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages by activating ABC transporter A1/G1-mediated cholesterol efflux through PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) alpha/gamma activation. Furthermore, we confirmed that PPAR alpha and PPAR gamma activation by WY14643 and pioglitazone, respectively, alleviated oleate-induced accumulation of total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and neutral lipids by accelerating ABC transporter A1/G1-mediated cholesterol efflux. This study provides the first evidence that resveratrol abolishes intestinal fatty acid and monoglyceride accumulation in atherosclerotic mice, and that resveratrol suppresses oleate-induced accumulation of total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and neutral lipids in macrophages by activating PPAR alpha/gamma signalling