Ursicoptes americanus infestation of American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Virginia, USA.

American black bears (Ursus americanus) admitted to a Virginia rehabilitation center were tested for Ursicoptes americanus. From 2014 to 2023, 23 of 150 (15.3 %) bears were positive with higher prevalence in juveniles and females.

Sterilization and Filter Performance of Nano- and Microfibrous Facemask Filters - Electrospinning and Restoration of Charges for Competitive Sustainable Alternatives.

Facemask materials have been under constant development to optimize filtration performance, wear comfort, and general resilience to chemical and mechanical stress. While single-use polypropylene meltblown membranes are the established go-to material for high-performing mask filters, they are neither sustainable nor particularly resistant to sterilization methods. Herein an in-depth analysis is provided of the sterilization efficiency, filtration efficiency, and breathing resistance of selected aerosol filters commonly implemented in facemasks, with a particular focus on the benefits of nanofibrous filters.

COMPARISON OF HAND-REARED PRONGHORN () MILK REPLACER COMPOSITIONS AND GROWTH RATES.

Hand-rearing protocols for nondomestic ungulates used for research, zoological parks, and reintroduction to the wild are evaluated on the basis of implementation practicality, gastrointestinal disturbances, survival to weaning, and growth rates compared with those of dam-raised individuals. Although species-specific protocols utilizing milk replacers formulated for nondomestic ungulates have been reported, no such protocols have been published for pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Five pronghorn fawns were fed Day One 30/40 Black Tail Deer plus Lactobacillus acidophilus probiotics four times per day with Day One Ultra Boost (all products from Fox Valley Animal Nutrition, Inc, Huntley, IL 60142, USA) added at one feeding per day and weighed twice per week for up to the first 16 wk of life.

Transmission Rates of UV-A and Green Light in an ex vivo Corneal Cross-linking Model for Infectious Keratitis.

Purpose: To investigate the light transmission (LT) of UV-A and green light through infected corneas saturated with riboflavin or rose bengal in an ex vivo porcine model for infectious keratitis.

Setting: University of Zurich and EMPA.

Design: Laboratory study.

Bridging the gap: Innovative human-based in vitro approaches for nanomaterials hazard assessment and their role in safe and sustainable by design, risk assessment, and life cycle assessment.

The application of nanomaterials in industry and consumer products is growing exponentially, which has pressed the development and use of predictive human in vitro models in pre-clinical analysis to closely extrapolate potential toxic effects in vivo. The conventional cytotoxicity investigation of nanomaterials using cell lines from cancer origin and culturing them two-dimensionally in a monolayer without mimicking the proper pathophysiological microenvironment may affect a precise prediction of in vitro effects at in vivo level. In recent years, complex in vitro models (also belonging to the new approach methodologies, NAMs) have been established in unicellular to multicellular cultures either by using cell lines, primary cells or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and reconstituted into relevant biological dimensions mimicking in vivo conditions.

"Luck Be a Lady": Retrospective Study of Disease-Associated Prion (PrPSc) Distribution and Lesions in Captive, Environmentally Exposed Female Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) with 132LL Genotype.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids caused by an infectious misfolded protein (prion). Several members of the Cervidae, including Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni), are susceptible to CWD. There is no evidence of complete genetic resistance to CWD; the M132L polymorphism in the elk prion protein gene influences the incubation period: longest in 132LL, intermediate in 132ML, and shortest in 132MM elk.

Iron-carbohydrate complexes treating iron anaemia: Understanding the nano-structure and interactions with proteins through orthogonal characterisation.

Intravenous (IV) iron-carbohydrate complexes are widely used nanoparticles (NPs) to treat iron deficiency anaemia, often associated with medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease, heart failure and various inflammatory conditions. Even though a plethora of physicochemical characterisation data and clinical studies are available for these products, evidence-based correlation between physicochemical properties of iron-carbohydrate complexes and clinical outcome has not fully been elucidated yet. Studies on other metal oxide NPs suggest that early interactions between NPs and blood upon IV injection are key to understanding how differences in physicochemical characteristics of iron-carbohydrate complexes cause variance in clinical outcomes.

Environmental and Health Impacts of Graphene and Other Two-Dimensional Materials: A Graphene Flagship Perspective.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted tremendous interest ever since the isolation of atomically thin sheets of graphene in 2004 due to the specific and versatile properties of these materials. However, the increasing production and use of 2D materials necessitate a thorough evaluation of the potential impact on human health and the environment. Furthermore, harmonized test protocols are needed with which to assess the safety of 2D materials.

Boron Nitride Nanosheets Induce Lipid Accumulation and Autophagy in Human Alveolar Lung Epithelial Cells Cultivated at Air-Liquid Interface.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is an emerging 2D material attracting significant attention due to its superior electrical, chemical, and therapeutic properties. However, inhalation toxicity mechanisms of hBN in human lung cells are poorly understood. Here, cellular interaction and effects of hBN nanosheets is investigated in alveolar epithelial cells cultured on porous inserts and exposed under air-liquid interface conditions for 24 h.

Quaternary ammonium-based coating of textiles is effective against bacteria and viruses with a low risk to human health.

While the global healthcare system is slowly recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, new multi-drug-resistant pathogens are emerging as the next threat. To tackle these challenges there is a need for safe and sustainable antiviral and antibacterial functionalized materials. Here we develop an 'easy-to-apply' procedure for the surface functionalization of textiles, rendering them antiviral and antibacterial and assessing the performance of these textiles.

Uncovering the dynamics of cellular responses induced by iron-carbohydrate complexes in human macrophages using quantitative proteomics and phosphoproteomics.

Iron-carbohydrate complexes are widely used to treat iron deficiencies. Macrophages play a crucial role in the uptake and fate of these nanomedicines, however, how complexed iron carbohydrates are taken up and metabolized by macrophages is still not fully understood. Using a (phospho-)proteomics approach, we assessed differences in protein expression and phosphorylation in M2 macrophages triggered by iron sucrose (IS).

Clearance of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae in Captive Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Following Extended Oral Doxycycline Treatment.

Respiratory disease is a significant barrier for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) conservation, and a need remains for management options in both captive and free-ranging populations. We treated Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection in six bighorn lambs and five bighorn yearlings at two captive research facilities with twice daily oral doxycycline for 8 wk or longer. Doses of 5 mg/kg twice daily mixed in formula for lambs and 10 mg/kg twice daily mixed in moistened pellets for older lambs and yearlings were tolerated well with minimal side effects.

Release and toxicity assessment of carbon nanomaterial reinforced polymers during the use and end-of-life phases: A comparative review.

The research on carbon-based nanomaterial (C-NM) composites has increased in the last two decades. This family of functional materials shows outstanding mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, and are being used in a variety of applications. An important challenge remains before C-NM can be fully integrated in our production industries and our lives: to assess the release of debris during production, use, and misuse of composites and the effect they may have on the environment and on human health.

Critical nanomaterial attributes of iron-carbohydrate nanoparticles: Leveraging orthogonal methods to resolve the 3-dimensional structure.

Intravenous iron-carbohydrate nanomedicines are widely used to treat iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia across a wide breadth of patient populations. These colloidal solutions of nanoparticles are complex drugs which inherently makes physicochemical characterization more challenging than small molecule drugs. There have been advancements in physicochemical characterization techniques such as dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurement, that have provided a better understanding of the physical structure of these drug products in vitro.

Transcriptomic profiling reveals differential cellular response to copper oxide nanoparticles and polystyrene nanoplastics in perfused human placenta.

The growing nanoparticulate pollution (e.g. engineered nanoparticles (NPs) or nanoplastics) has been shown to pose potential threats to human health.

Advanced and Smart Textiles during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Issues, Challenges, and Innovations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the textile and apparel industry. Besides the negative impact due to supply chain disruptions, drop in demand, liquidity problems, and overstocking, this pandemic was found to be a window of opportunity since it accelerated the ongoing digitalization trends and the use of functional materials in the textile industry. This review paper covers the development of smart and advanced textiles that emerged as a response to the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2.

Butorphanol, Azaperone, and Medetomidine for Chemical Immobilization in Free-Ranging Shiras (Alces alces shirasi) Moose: Ground and Helicopter Darting in Wyoming, USA.

We chemically immobilized a free-ranging moose subspecies, Shiras moose (Alces alces shirasi), using a combination of butorphanol (27.3 mg/mL), azaperone (9.1 mg/mL), and medetomidine (10.

Gene expression profiling of human macrophages after graphene oxide and graphene nanoplatelets treatment reveals particle-specific regulation of pathways.

Graphene and its derivatives are attractive materials envisaged to enable a wealth of novel applications in many fields including energy, electronics, composite materials or health. A comprehensive understanding of the potential adverse effects of graphene-related materials (GRM) in humans is a prerequisite to the safe use of these promising materials. Here, we exploited gene expression profiling to identify transcriptional responses and toxicity pathways induced by graphene oxide (GO) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) in human macrophages.

Mild COVID-19 induces early, quantifiable, persistent troponin I elevations in elder men.

Importance: Elderly patients, especially men, are at risk of increased morbidity from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Long-term data on troponin I levels in longitudinal observational studies of outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19 are scarce.

Objective: This controlled cohort study aimed to evaluate the course of troponin I concentrations over a long period in convalescent COVID-19 outpatients with mild to moderate symptoms.

Structure-activity relationship of graphene-related materials: A meta-analysis based on mammalian in vitro toxicity data.

To support a safe application of graphene-related materials (GRMs) it is necessary to understand the potential negative impacts they could have on human health, in particular on the lung - one of the most sensitive exposure routes. Machine learning (ML) approaches can help analyse the results of multiple toxicity studies to understand the structure-activity relationship and the effect of experimental conditions, thus supporting predictive nanotoxicology. In this work we collected in vitro cytotoxicity data obtained from studies using lung cells; we then fitted multiple regression models to predict this endpoint based on the material properties and experimental conditions.

Airborne emissions from combustion of graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy composites and their cytotoxicity on lung cells via air-liquid interface cell exposure in vitro.

Graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) as a nanofiller improves the mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and flame retardancy of the polymers significantly. With an increasing number of GNP-reinforced products, a careful safety assessment is needed to avoid social and economic setbacks. However, no study has addressed the effects of combustion-generated emissions from GNP-reinforced products in the lung, the most sensitive exposure route to airborne particles.

(Re)Conceptualizing decision-making tools in a risk governance framework for emerging technologies-the case of nanomaterials.

The utility of decision-making tools for the risk governance of nanotechnology is at the core of this paper. Those working in nanotechnology risk management have been prolific in creating such tools, many derived from European FP7 and H2020-funded projects. What is less clear is how such tools might assist the overarching ambition of creating a fair system of risk governance.