Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background Cronobacter sakazakii can cause severe infections in premature infants and neonates through the consumption of contaminated milk-based foods. However, the pathogenesis of sequence type 4 (ST4) C. sakazakii remains to be fully elucidated. Results In this study, four ST4 C. sakazakii strains were investigated via comparative toxicity, genomic, and transcriptomic analyses to elucidate their pathogenic characteristics and mechanisms. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) indicated that ST4 C. sakazakii was frequently identified among 36 Cronobacter spp. isolates recovered from milk-based infant and baby foods, and 13 novel STs were also detected. Compared with other ST isolates, ST4 C. sakazakii displayed a higher gut weight to carcass weight ratio (GW/CW), stronger abilities to invade and translocate, and increased secretion of TNF-α, IL-1, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and human U251 glioma cells (U251). Moreover, ST4 C. sakazakii strains with a higher GW/CW ratio significantly disrupted routine blood indices, promoted the secretion of inflammatory factors, and induced severe histopathological changes in the liver, brain, spleen, kidney, and intestine of suckling mice. Although differences in genome composition and known virulence factors were observed among these ST4 C. sakazakii strains with varying pathogenic phenotypes, comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed that the expression of numerous virulence factors and pathways, including ompA, ompW, luxS, rpoS , the Sec secretion system, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and assembly, and flagellar assembly, greatly contributed to the high pathogenicity of ST4 C. sakazakii . Conclusion Our findings suggest that foodborne ST4 C. sakazakii isolates represent a significant potential threat to food safety and public health, particularly for premature and immunocompromised infants.

The toxicity of pesticides used in agriculture towards non-targeted organisms and especially pollinators has recently drawn the attention from a broad scientific community. Increased honeybee mortality observed worldwide certainly contributes to this interest. The potential role of several neurotoxic insecticides in triggering or potentiating honeybee mortality was considered, in particular phenylpyrazoles and neonicotinoids, given that they are widely used and highly toxic for insects. Along with their ability to kill insects at lethal doses, they can compromise survival at sublethal doses by producing subtle deleterious effects. In this study, we compared the bee's locomotor ability, which is crucial for many tasks within the hive (e.g. cleaning brood cells, feeding larvae…), before and after an acute sublethal exposure to one insecticide belonging to the two insecticide classes, fipronil and thiamethoxam. Additionally, we examined the locomotor ability after exposure to pyrethroids, an older chemical insecticide class still widely used and known to be highly toxic to bees as well. Our study focused on young bees (day 1 after emergence) since (i) few studies are available on locomotion at this stage and (ii) in recent years, pesticides have been reported to accumulate in different hive matrices, where young bees undergo their early development. At sublethal doses (SLD48h, i.e. causing no mortality at 48 h), three pyrethroids, namely cypermethrin (2.5 ng/bee), tetramethrin (70 ng/bee), tau-fluvalinate (33 ng/bee) and the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam (3.8 ng/bee) caused a locomotor deficit in honeybees. While the SLD48h of fipronil (a phenylpyrazole, 0.5 ng/bee) had no measurable effect on locomotion, we observed high mortality several days after exposure, an effect that was not observed with the other insecticides. Although locomotor deficits observed in the sublethal range of pyrethroids and thiamethoxam would suggest deleterious effects in the field, the case of fipronil demonstrates that toxicity evaluation requires information on multiple endpoints (e.g. long term survival) to fully address pesticides risks for honeybees. Pyrethroid-induced locomotor deficits are discussed in light of recent advances regarding their mode of action on honeybee ion channels and current structure-function studies.

This study aimed to assess the association of exposure to particle-bound (PM2.5) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with potential genotoxicity and cancer risk among children living near the petrochemical industry and comparative populations in Malaysia. PM2.5 samples were collected using a low-volume sampler for 24 h at three primary schools located within 5 km of the industrial area and three comparative schools more than 20 km away from any industrial activity. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometer was used to determine the analysis of 16 United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority PAHs. A total of 205 children were randomly selected to assess the DNA damage in buccal cells, employing the comet assay. Total PAHs measured in exposed and comparative schools varied, respectively, from 61.60 to 64.64 ng m−3 and from 5.93 to 35.06 ng m−3. The PAH emission in exposed schools was contributed mainly by traffic and industrial emissions, dependent on the source apportionment. The 95th percentiles of the incremental lifetime cancer risk estimated using Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the inhalation risk for the exposed children and comparative populations was 2.22 × 10−6 and 2.95 × 10−7, respectively. The degree of DNA injury was substantially more severe among the exposed children relative to the comparative community. This study reveals that higher exposure to PAHs increases the risk of genotoxic effects and cancer among children.

Seaweed polyphenols and polysaccharide plays a broad range of biological activity. The objective of the present study was to study and compare the skin protection activity of fucoidan rich polysaccharide extract (SPS) and polyphenol-rich extract (SPP) from the seaweed Sargassum vachellianum. The skin protection activity was analyzed based on their ability to scavenge free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, UV absorption potential, tyrosinase inhibition, moisture preservation, and antibacterial activity. From the results, both SPP and SPS protects the skin from UV damage. SPP showed good free radical scavenging ability, antimicrobial activity against E.coli and S. aureus and effectively absorbed the UVB and UVA rays whereas SPS hardly absorbs the UVA and UVB rays and showed weak free radical scavenging ability and no antimicrobial activity. SPS showed considerable inhibition on tyrosinase (51.21%) and had better moisture absorption (52.1%) and retention (63.24%) abilities than SPP. The results specified that both SPS and SPP have balancing potential on skin protection and suitable combinations of both could act as an active ingredient in cosmetics.

Recently, the widespread distribution of pesticides detected in the hive has raised serious concerns about pesticide exposure on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health. A larval rearing method was adapted to assess the chronic oral toxicity to honey bee larvae of the four most common pesticides detected in pollen and wax--fluvalinate, coumaphos, chlorothalonil, and chloropyrifos--tested alone and in all combinations. All pesticides at hive-residue levels triggered a significant increase in larval mortality compared to untreated larvae by over two fold, with a strong increase after 3 days of exposure. Among these four pesticides, honey bee larvae were most sensitive to chlorothalonil compared to adults. Synergistic toxicity was observed in the binary mixture of chlorothalonil with fluvalinate at the concentrations of 34 mg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively; whereas, when diluted by 10 fold, the interaction switched to antagonism. Chlorothalonil at 34 mg/L was also found to synergize the miticide coumaphos at 8 mg/L. The addition of coumaphos significantly reduced the toxicity of the fluvalinate and chlorothalonil mixture, the only significant non-additive effect in all tested ternary mixtures. We also tested the common 'inert' ingredient N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone at seven concentrations, and documented its high toxicity to larval bees. We have shown that chronic dietary exposure to a fungicide, pesticide mixtures, and a formulation solvent have the potential to impact honey bee populations, and warrants further investigation. We suggest that pesticide mixtures in pollen be evaluated by adding their toxicities together, until complete data on interactions can be accumulated.

Heavy metal contamination of drinking water, primarily driven by industrial activities, represents a critical challenge, with implications for human health and environmental safety. Gujranwala is an industrial and thickly populated city. The current study aimed to assess and compare heavy metal contamination levels in drinking water from five industrial areas and evaluate their potential impacts on human health. Total 100 water samples were collected and analysed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals. Zonal variations in heavy metal concentrations revealed that Zone 2 had the highest mean levels of cadmium (0.331 mg/L), lead (0.573 mg/L), chromium (0.164 mg/L), arsenic (0.042 mg/L), and aluminium (0.484 mg/L), while Zone 4 showed elevated mean levels of iron (1.88 mg/L) and mercury (0.259 mg/L). Spearman correlation analysis among heavy metals revealed positive relationships among several heavy metals with As notably showing a strong correlation with Hg (0.701**). Kruskal–Wallis test revealed significant spatial variation (p < 0.05) in parameters like pH, EC, TDS, and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Fe, Cu, Mn, Al), indicating spatial heterogeneity across zones. Spatial distribution maps also depicted heavy metal elevated concentrations of Cd, Pb, Fe, Cr, As, and Hg exceeding in Zone 2 (Engineering industries zone) and 4 (Iron and steel industries zone). The findings revealed a strong link between elevated heavy metal levels and health risks, including dermatological, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological disorders. This study highlights the need for stricter wastewater management, regular monitoring of drinking water, and policies to address water toxicity in industrial premises and to protect public health.

The Salacia reticulata , a medicinal woody climbing shrub, was utilized for our study, the green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles, which were analyzed through SEM, EDX, FTIR, XRD, and UV‒Vis spectroscopy. This study assessed the toxicity to zebrafish embryos and explored the antibacterial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties of the synthesized nanoparticles. In results, the UV absorption of the CuO NPs showed that the intensity of nanoparticle green colloidal suspension changed from blue to green, which also confirmed that the spectrum of the green CuO NPs changed from colorless to black. in FT-IR and XRD spectral analysis to identify functional groups and determine the particle size of CuO NPs prepared by green and chemical methods. Its showed that CuO NPs (green) had a size of approximately 42.2 nm, while CuO NPs (chemical) had a size of approximately 84 nm. The morphology of these NPs was analyzed using SEM–EDX. Compared with their chemically prepared counterparts, the green-synthesized CuO nanoparticles demonstrated superior dispersion. Additionally, both green and chemical CuO nanoparticles at a concentration of 200 µL/mL caused developmental anomalies and increased mortality in zebrafish embryos and larvae. The green and chemical CuO NPs inhibited α-glucosidase enzyme activity at concentrations between 10 and 50 µL/mL, with IC 50 values of 22 µL/mL and 26 µL/mL, respectively. The extract exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, with IC 50 values of 274 and 109 µL/mL. The authors concluded that this green nanoparticle method has potential as a more eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional synthetic methods. NPs are widely used in human contact fields (medicine and agriculture), hence synthesis methods that do not involve toxic substances are becoming increasingly important.

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) are manufactured worldwide in large quantities for use in a wide range of applications. TiO 2 NPs possess different physicochemical properties compared to their fine particle (FP) analogs, which might alter their bioactivity. Most of the literature cited here has focused on the respiratory system, showing the importance of inhalation as the primary route for TiO 2 NP exposure in the workplace. TiO 2 NPs may translocate to systemic organs from the lung and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) although the rate of translocation appears low. There have also been studies focusing on other potential routes of human exposure. Oral exposure mainly occurs through food products containing TiO 2 NP-additives. Most dermal exposure studies, whether in vivo or in vitro , report that TiO 2 NPs do not penetrate the stratum corneum (SC). In the field of nanomedicine, intravenous injection can deliver TiO 2 nanoparticulate carriers directly into the human body. Upon intravenous exposure, TiO 2 NPs can induce pathological lesions of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and brain. We have also shown here that most of these effects may be due to the use of very high doses of TiO 2 NPs. There is also an enormous lack of epidemiological data regarding TiO 2 NPs in spite of its increased production and use. However, long-term inhalation studies in rats have reported lung tumors. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the toxicology of TiO 2 NPs and points out areas where further information is needed.

White-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), one of the main agricultural insect pests in China, is resistant to a wide variety of insecticides. We used transcriptome analysis to compare the expression patterns of resistance- and stress-response genes in S . furcifera subjected to imidacloprid, deltamethrin, and triazophos stress, to determine the molecular mechanisms of resistance to these insecticides. A comparative analysis of gene expression under imidacloprid, deltamethrin, and triazophos stress revealed 1,123, 841, and 316 upregulated unigenes, respectively, compared to the control. These upregulated genes included seven P450s (two CYP2 clade, three CYP3 clade, and two CYP4 clade), one GST, one ABC transporter (ABCF), and seven Hsps (one 90 and six Hsp70s) under imidacloprid stress; one P450 (CYP3 clade), two ABC transporters (one ABCF and one ABCD), and one Hsp (Hsp90) under deltamethrin stress; one P450 (CYP3 clade) and one ABC transporter (ABCF) under triazophos stress. In addition, 80 genes were commonly upregulated in response to the three insecticide treatments, including laminin, larval cuticle protein, and fasciclin, which are associated with epidermal formation. These results provide a valuable resource for the molecular characterisation of insecticide action in S . furcifera , especially the molecular characteristics of insecticide cross resistance.

Rapid evaluation of the toxicity of metals using fish embryo acute toxicity is facilitative to ecological risk assessment of aquatic organisms. However, this approach has seldom been utilized for the comparative study on the effects of different metals to fish. In this study, acute and sub-chronic tests were used to compare the toxicity of Se(IV) and Cd in the embryos and larvae of Japanese medaka ( Oryzias latipes ). The embryos with different levels of dechorionation and/or pre-exposure were also exposed to Se(IV) and Cd at various concentrations. The results showed that the LC 50 -144 h of Cd was 1.3–5.2 folds higher than that of Se(IV) for the embryos. In contrast, LC 50 -96 h of Se(IV) were 200–400 folds higher than that of Cd for the larvae. Meanwhile, dechorionated embryos were more sensitive to both Se and Cd than the intact embryos. At elevated concentrations, both Se and Cd caused mortality and deformity in the embryos and larvae. In addition, pre-exposure to Cd at the embryonic stages enhanced the resistance to Cd in the larvae. However, pre-exposure to Se(IV) at the embryonic stages did not affect the toxicity of Se(IV) to the larvae. This study has distinguished the nuance differences in effects between Se(IV) and Cd after acute and sub-chronic exposures with/without chorion. The approach might have a potential in the comparative toxicology of metals (or other pollutants) and in the assessment of their risks to aquatic ecosystems.