Microglial Immune Response to Low Concentrations of Combustion-Generated Nanoparticles: An In Vitro Model of Brain Health

Toxic implications of silver nanoparticles on the central nervous system: A systematic literature review

Silver nanoparticles have many medical and commercial applications, but their effects on human health are poorly understood. They are used extensively in products of daily use, but little is known about their potential neurotoxic effects. A xenobiotic metal, silver, has no known physiological significance in the human body as a trace metal. Biokinetics of silver nanoparticles indicates its elimination from the body via urine and feces route. However, a substantial amount of evidence from both in vitro and in vivo experimental research unequivocally establish the fact of easier penetration of smaller nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier to enter in brain and thereby interaction with cellular components to induce neurotoxic effects. Toxicological effects of silver nanoparticles rely on the degree of exposure, particle size, surface coating, and agglomeration state as well as the type of cell or organism used to evaluate its toxicity. This review covers pertinent facts and the present state of knowledge about the neurotoxicity of silver nanoparticles reviewing the impacts on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, neurodegeneration, apoptosis, and necrosis. The effect of silver nanoparticles on the central nervous system is a topic of growing interest and concern that requires immediate consideration.

Role of brain extracellular vesicles in air pollution-related cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration

A relationship between environmental exposure to air pollution and cognitive impairment and neurological disorders has been described. Previous literature has focused on the direct effects of the air pollution components on neuronal and glial cells, as well as on involvement of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation on microglia and astrocyte reactivity. However, other mechanisms involved in the air pollution effects on central nervous system (CNS) toxicity can be playing critical roles. Increasingly, extracellular vesicle's (EVs) mediated intercellular communication is being recognized as impacting the development of cognitive impairment and neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease and others. Here we describe the available evidence about toxic air pollutants and its components on brain, an involvement of brain cells specific and EVs types (based in the origin or in the size of EVs) in the initiation, exacerbation, and propagation of the neurotoxic effects (inflammation, neurodegeneration, and accumulation of neurotoxic proteins) induced by air pollution in the CNS. Additionally, we discuss the identification and isolation of neural-derived EVs from human plasma, the most common markers for neural-derived EVs, and their potential for use as diagnostic or therapeutic molecules for air pollution-related cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.

A link between environmental pollution and civilization disorders: a mini review

Most civilization disorders have a complex etiology, involving factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environmental pollution (EP) due to different chemicals. Among harmful chemicals, the major ones include particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, pesticides, plasticizers, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, some food additives, hormones, and antibiotics. In fact, potential pollutants are countless and most of them have never been evaluated in terms of their toxicity and health risks, especially that new chemicals emerge all the time due to interactions between the existing ones. It is almost impossible to determine the effects of these new compounds on health. Previous studies have revealed a broad spectrum of diseases related to pollution. EP has been associated with an increased incidence of some malignancies, an increased rate of all-cause mortality, development or exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases, recurrent infections, impairment of intellectual and psychomotor development in children, development of type 2 diabetes, respiratory and immune system diseases, and also brain degenerative disorders. EP is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, generating high health care costs. Global pollution questions the common recommendation to eat vegetables, fruit, and fish regularly as part of a healthy diet, if they do not have ecological certification. Research in the fields of ecology, biology, and toxicology is needed to determine which environmental contaminants are the most hazardous to wildlife and humans and at what levels. Only an interdisciplinary cooperation and measures to raise public awareness could help improve environmental protection.

Capillary Sensor with Disposable Optrode for Diesel Fuel Quality Testing

Diesel fuel quality can be considered from many different points of view. Fuel producers, fuel consumers, and ecologists have their own ideas. In this paper, a sensor of diesel fuel quality type, and fuel condition that is oriented to the fuel's consumers, is presented. The fuel quality types include premium, standard, and full bio-diesel classes. The fuel conditions include fuel fit for use and fuel degraded classes. The classes of fuel are connected with characteristics of engine operation. The presented sensor uses signal processing of an optoelectronic device monitoring fuel samples that are locally heated to the first step of boiling. Compared to previous works which consider diesel fuel quality sensing with disposable optrodes which use a more complex construction, the sensor now consists only of a capillary probe and advanced signal processing. The signal processing addresses automatic conversion of the data series to form a data pattern, estimates the measurement uncertainty, eliminates outlier data, and determines the fuel quality with an intelligent artificial neural network classifier. The sensor allows the quality classification of different unknown diesel fuel samples in less than a few minutes with the measurement costs of a single disposable capillary probe and two plugs.