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Clinical Kidney Journal Feb 2024Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC), a novel drug used for treating hyperkalaemia, is effective in reducing serum potassium levels. The effects of potassium adsorbents...
Mortality and hyperkalaemia-associated hospitalisation in patients with chronic kidney disease: comparison of sodium zirconium cyclosilicate and sodium/calcium polystyrene sulfonate.
BACKGROUND
Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC), a novel drug used for treating hyperkalaemia, is effective in reducing serum potassium levels. The effects of potassium adsorbents on the mortality and hyperkalaemia-associated hospitalisation rates remain unclear. We aimed to examine how mortality and hyperkalaemia-associated hospitalisation rates vary with usage of various potassium adsorbents.
METHODS
This retrospective study used patients' data between April 2008 and August 2021 obtained from a large-scale Japanese medical claims database. Consecutive patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) prescribed potassium adsorbents were enrolled and divided into three groups according to the adsorbent type [SZC, calcium polystyrene sulfonate (CPS), and sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS)] and were observed for 1 year. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality and hyperkalaemia-associated hospitalisation.
RESULTS
In total, 234, 54 183, and 18 692 patients were prescribed SZC, CPS, and SPS, respectively. The SZC group showed a higher event-free survival rate than the other two groups. The hazard ratio for the primary outcome in the CPS and SPS groups was similar in the analyses of the subgroups of patients who did not receive renal replacement therapy and those who received haemodialysis. The SZC group had a higher renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) continuation rate compared to CPS and SPS groups, the difference being especially significant for SPS.
CONCLUSIONS
This real-world study demonstrated the therapeutic effect of SZC in reducing mortality and hyperkalaemia-associated hospitalisations. The high RAASi continuation rate in the SZC group might be a contributing factor for improvement of the primary outcome.
PubMed: 38404365
DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfae021 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Conductive hydrogels are highly attractive for biomedical applications due to their ability to mimic the electrophysiological environment of biological tissues. Although...
Conductive hydrogels are highly attractive for biomedical applications due to their ability to mimic the electrophysiological environment of biological tissues. Although conducting polymer polythiophene-poly-(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) alone exhibit high conductivity, the addition of other chemical compositions could further improve the electrical and mechanical properties of PEDOT:PSS, providing a more promising interface with biological tissues. Here we study the effects of incorporating crosslinking additives, such as glycerol and sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), in developing interpenetrating PEDOT:PSS-based conductive hydrogels. The addition of glycerol at a low concentration maintained the PEDOT:PSS conductivity with enhanced wettability but decreased the mechanical stiffness. Increasing the concentration of STMP allowed sufficient physical crosslinking with PEDOT:PSS, resulting in improved hydrogel conductivity, wettability, and rheological properties without glycerol. The STMP-based PEDOT:PSS conductive hydrogels also exhibited shear-thinning behaviors, which are potentially favorable for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting applications. We demonstrate an interpenetrating conducting polymer hydrogel with tunable electrical and mechanical properties for cellular interactions and future tissue engineering applications.
PubMed: 38391444
DOI: 10.3390/gels10020115 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2023The building construction materials are responsible for a large amount of energy and natural resource consumption. In light of the current challenges of resource...
The building construction materials are responsible for a large amount of energy and natural resource consumption. In light of the current challenges of resource scarcity and global climate change, the circular economy (CE) is a promising strategy to mitigate pressure on the environment, improve supplying of raw materials, and increase new market and employment opportunities. Developing eco-friendly thermal insulation materials based on agro-waste is a new waste management trend to achieve the sustainability of the resource and energy consumption in the construction sectors. In this work, banana-polystyrene composites were prepared by mixing the banana peels powder (BP) with polystyrene (PS) in different weight ratios (90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40). The physical and thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), crystallographic structures of the fibers, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were carried out on BP and BP-PS1 that were prepared with ten wt.% and 20 wt.% of polystyrene powder (BP-PS2). The bio-composites results showed low thermal conductivity ranging from 0.028 to 0.030 W/m.K. The BP-PS2 exhibited a lower thermal conductivity of 0.027 W/m.K, while the pure peel powder demonstrated notable thermal stability, indicated by a total weight loss of 66.4% and a high crystallinity value of 56.1%. Furthermore, the thermal analysis (TGA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that the pure banana peel has the highest thermal stability and crystallinity. These findings indicate that using banana peel-polystyrene composites represents an innovative solution for thermal insulation in buildings as an alternative to conventional materials to reduce energy and resource consumption.
PubMed: 37550378
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37994-1 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023Microplastics (MPs) are recognized as environmental pollutants with potential implications for human health. Considering the rapid increase in obesity rates despite...
Microplastics (MPs) are recognized as environmental pollutants with potential implications for human health. Considering the rapid increase in obesity rates despite stable caloric intake, there is a growing concern about the link between obesity and exposure to environmental pollutants, including MPs. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation utilizing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches to explore the brain distribution and physiological effects of MPs. Molecular docking simulations were performed to assess the binding affinity of three plastic polymers (ethylene, propylene, and styrene) to immune cells (macrophages, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes). The results revealed that styrene exhibited the highest binding affinity for macrophages. Furthermore, in vitro experiments employing fluorescence-labeled PS-MPs (fPS-MPs) of 1 μm at various concentrations demonstrated a dose-dependent binding of fPS-MPs to BV2 murine microglial cells. Subsequent oral administration of fPS-MPs to high-fat diet-induced obese mice led to the co-existence of fPS-MPs with immune cells in the blood, exacerbating impaired glucose metabolism and insulin resistance and promoting systemic inflammation. Additionally, fPS-MPs were detected throughout the brain, with increased activation of microglia in the hypothalamus. These findings suggest that PS-MPs significantly contribute to the exacerbation of systemic inflammation in high-fat diet-induced obesity by activating peripheral and central inflammatory immune cells.
PubMed: 37569796
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512421 -
Marine Pollution Bulletin Sep 2023This study investigates the abundances and composition of microplastics (MP) among the shallow layers of a coastal Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (Cabrera MPA),...
This study investigates the abundances and composition of microplastics (MP) among the shallow layers of a coastal Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (Cabrera MPA), seafloor sediments, hyperbenthic environment, and the water column. The mid waters samples were collected mid-way between the sea surface and the seafloor and hyperbenthic samples at the water layer adjacent to the seafloor. Sampling was carried out on patchiness seafloor of Posidonia oceanica meadows. The seafloor sediments showed a mean abundance of 378,769.20 ± 508,109.11 MPs/m, three orders of magnitude higher than the hyperbenthic (209.17 ± 117.07 MPs/m), and the mid waters layer (106.48 ± 107.17 MPs/m). An increasing vertical gradient in MP abundances, mainly composed of fibers was observed. Fibers were made-up mainly of polystyrene (PS, 25 %), expanded polystyrene (EPS, 18 %) and cellulose acetate (CA, 16 %). The results stress the need to increase efforts to find solutions to mitigate fiber pollution in the marine environment.
Topics: Plastics; Polystyrenes; Geologic Sediments; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Environmental Monitoring; Microplastics; Water; Ecosystem
PubMed: 37459771
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115291 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Sep 2023As a new type of environmental pollutant, microplastics have been garnered increasing attention, especially in regard to their effects on the reproductive system....
As a new type of environmental pollutant, microplastics have been garnered increasing attention, especially in regard to their effects on the reproductive system. However, researchers have yet to report whether prevention and treatment measures exist for reproductive injury caused by microplastics. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the mechanism of spermatogenic injury induced by polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and the intervention effect of probiotics based on the gut microbiota-testis axis. Mice were orally exposed for 35 days to 5 µm of PS-MPs with a gavage dose was 0.1 mg/day, and the intervention group was given probiotics (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium longum, and Enterococcus) orally. Fecal samples were then subjected to 16 S rRNA sequencing analysis, and sperm motion was analyzed by a Hamilton-Thorne Sperm analyzer. The results showed that PS-MPs exposed mice had significant spermatogenic dysfunction and testicular inflammation. In addition, the intestinal microbial structure of exposed mice changed significantly; the abundance of Lactobacillus decreased, and the abundance of Prevotella increased. Furthermore, with fecal microbiota transplantation, the recipient mice showed a significant decrease in sperm quality. However, probiotics supplementation helped inhibit the activation of IL-17A signaling driven by gut microbes, thereby alleviating the inflammatory response and improving sperm quality decline caused by PS-MPs. These results may provide a scientific basis for further understanding of the mechanism of male reproductive damage caused by environmental pollutants such as microplastics and for novel reproductive damage intervention measures.
Topics: Male; Animals; Mice; Microplastics; Plastics; Polystyrenes; Semen; Environmental Pollutants; Lactobacillus; Probiotics
PubMed: 37441951
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115248 -
Environmental Health Perspectives Apr 2024Global plastic use has consistently increased over the past century with several different types of plastics now being produced. Much of these plastics end up in oceans...
BACKGROUND
Global plastic use has consistently increased over the past century with several different types of plastics now being produced. Much of these plastics end up in oceans or landfills leading to a substantial accumulation of plastics in the environment. Plastic debris slowly degrades into microplastics (MPs) that can ultimately be inhaled or ingested by both animals and humans. A growing body of evidence indicates that MPs can cross the gut barrier and enter into the lymphatic and systemic circulation leading to accumulation in tissues such as the lungs, liver, kidney, and brain. The impacts of mixed MPs exposure on tissue function through metabolism remains largely unexplored.
OBJECTIVES
This study aims to investigate the impacts of polymer microspheres on tissue metabolism in mice by assessing the microspheres ability to translocate across the gut barrier and enter into systemic circulation. Specifically, we wanted to examine microsphere accumulation in different organ systems, identify concentration-dependent metabolic changes, and evaluate the effects of mixed microsphere exposures on health outcomes.
METHODS
To investigate the impact of ingested microspheres on target metabolic pathways, mice were exposed to either polystyrene () microspheres or a mixture of polymer microspheres consisting of polystyrene (), polyethylene (), and the biodegradability and biocompatible plastic, poly-(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (). Exposures were performed twice a week for 4 weeks at a concentration of either 0, 2, or via oral gastric gavage. Tissues were collected to examine microsphere ingress and changes in metabolites.
RESULTS
In mice that ingested microspheres, we detected polystyrene microspheres in distant tissues including the brain, liver, and kidney. Additionally, we report on the metabolic differences that occurred in the colon, liver, and brain, which showed differential responses that were dependent on concentration and type of microsphere exposure.
DISCUSSION
This study uses a mouse model to provide critical insight into the potential health implications of the pervasive issue of plastic pollution. These findings demonstrate that orally consumed polystyrene or mixed polymer microspheres can accumulate in tissues such as the brain, liver, and kidney. Furthermore, this study highlights concentration-dependent and polymer type-specific metabolic changes in the colon, liver, and brain after plastic microsphere exposure. These results underline the mobility within and between biological tissues of MPs after exposure and emphasize the importance of understanding their metabolic impact. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13435.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Polystyrenes; Microspheres; Plastics; Tissue Distribution; Microplastics; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 38598326
DOI: 10.1289/EHP13435 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Sep 2023The adsorption process of inorganic arsenic (As) plays an important role in its mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity in the river environment. In this work, the...
The adsorption process of inorganic arsenic (As) plays an important role in its mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity in the river environment. In this work, the adsorption of dissolved arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) by microplastics (MPs) pellets (polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)), river sediment, and their mixture were investigated to assess the adsorption affinities and mechanism. The adsorption kinetics showed slow and mild rising zones from the natural behavior of the chemical adsorption. The results indicated that both MP characteristics and water properties played a significant role in the adsorption behavior of inorganic As species. The As adsorption equilibrium was modeled well by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and partly fitted with the Sips model suggesting that both mono-layer and multi-layer adsorption occurred during adsorption The spontaneous adsorption process for both As(III) and As(V) was evidenced by the adsorption thermodynamics. The maximum adsorption capacities of As(III) and As(V) reached 143.3 mg/kg and 109.8 mg/kg on PS in deionized water, which were higher than those on sediment-PS mixture (119.3 mg/kg, 99.2 mg/kg), which were all lower than on sediment alone (263.3 mg/kg, 398.7 mg/kg). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis identified that As(III) and As(V) interaction with sediment surface functional groups was the main adsorption mechanism from surface complexation and coordination. Two functional groups of polystyrene (-NH, -OH) were mainly involved in the adsorption of inorganic As species on PS, while -COO- and -OH functional groups contributed to the adsorption mechanism of inorganic As species on LDPE. The findings provide valuable insight on the adsorption behavior and mechanisms of As(III) and As(V) in river systems in the presence of MPs particles. Both PS and LDPE were shown to be less effective than river sediment in the adsorption of As species from water, which provides a different perspective in understanding the scale of MPs impact in pollutant transport in the aquatic environment.
Topics: Polystyrenes; Arsenic; Polyethylene; Plastics; Rivers; Adsorption; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Microplastics; Arsenicals; Water
PubMed: 37558920
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29218-w -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Jun 2024This is a case report of a 70-year-old woman with possible cholestyramine-induced bowel perforation. She had a prior history of pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic...
This is a case report of a 70-year-old woman with possible cholestyramine-induced bowel perforation. She had a prior history of pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer with a daily intake of cholestyramine. She underwent emergency laparotomy for small bowel perforation twice. Subsequent pathology reports showed crystal depositions in the small bowel wall. Leasions spread out on the small bowel and the omentum during the second surgery were thought to be carcinomatosis. However, the pathology report showed no malignant cells but plenty of crystal depositions as seen with cholestyramine intake.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Female; Intestinal Perforation; Cholestyramine Resin; Intestine, Small; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Anticholesteremic Agents; Pancreatic Neoplasms
PubMed: 38904283
DOI: 10.61409/V02240109 -
Journal of Nanobiotechnology Jan 2024In recent years, the environmental health issue of microplastics has aroused an increasingly significant concern. Some studies suggested that exposure to polystyrene...
In recent years, the environmental health issue of microplastics has aroused an increasingly significant concern. Some studies suggested that exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) may lead to renal inflammation and oxidative stress in animals. However, little is known about the essential effects of PS-MPs with high-fat diet (HFD) on renal development and microenvironment. In this study, we provided the single-cell transcriptomic landscape of the kidney microenvironment induced by PS-MPs and HFD in mouse models by unbiased single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). The kidney injury cell atlases in mice were evaluated after continued PS-MPs exposure, or HFD treated for 35 days. Results showed that PS-MPs plus HFD treatment aggravated the kidney injury and profibrotic microenvironment, reshaping mouse kidney cellular components. First, we found that PS-MPs plus HFD treatment acted on extracellular matrix organization of renal epithelial cells, specifically the proximal and distal convoluted tubule cells, to inhibit renal development and induce ROS-driven carcinogenesis. Second, PS-MPs plus HFD treatment induced activated PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and IL-17 signaling pathways in endothelial cells. Besides, PS-MPs plus HFD treatment markedly increased the proportions of CD8 effector T cells and proliferating T cells. Notably, mononuclear phagocytes exhibited substantial remodeling and enriched in oxidative phosphorylation and chemical carcinogenesis pathways after PS-MPs plus HFD treatment, typified by alterations tissue-resident M2-like PF4 macrophages. Multispectral immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry identified PF4 macrophages in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and adjacent normal tissues, indicating that activate PF4 macrophages might regulate the profibrotic and pro-tumorigenic microenvironment after renal injury. In conclusion, this study first systematically revealed molecular variation of renal cells and immune cells in mice kidney microenvironment induced by PS-MPs and HFD with the scRNA-seq approach, which provided a molecular basis for decoding the effects of PS-MPs on genitourinary injury and understanding their potential profibrotic and carcinogenesis in mammals.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Microplastics; Polystyrenes; Plastics; Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis; Diet, High-Fat; Endothelial Cells; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; Kidney; Carcinogenesis; Mammals; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 38167034
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02266-7