Recent studies in experimental animals found that oral exposure to micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) during pregnancy had multiple adverse effects on outcomes and progeny, although no study has yet identified the translocation of ingested MNPs to the placenta or fetal tissues, which might account for those effects. We therefore assessed the placental and fetal translocation of ingested nanoscale polystyrene MNPs in pregnant rats. Sprague Dawley rats (N = 5) were gavaged on gestational day 19 with 10 mL/kg of 250 µg/mL 25 nm carboxylated polystyrene spheres (PS25C) and sacrificed after 24 h. Hyperspectral imaging of harvested placental and fetal tissues identified abundant PS25C within the placenta and in all fetal tissues examined, including liver, kidney, heart, lung and brain, where they appeared in 10–25 µm clusters. These findings demonstrate that ingested nanoscale polystyrene MNPs can breach the intestinal barrier and subsequently the maternal–fetal barrier of the placenta to access the fetal circulation and all fetal tissues. Further studies are needed to assess the mechanisms of MNP translocation across the intestinal and placental barriers, the effects of MNP polymer, size and other physicochemical properties on translocation, as well as the potential adverse effects of MNP translocation on the developing fetus.

Introduction Blood is a precious commodity, with storage limited to 42 days under refrigeration. Degradative changes in red blood cells (RBCs) begin as early as 11–21 days after collection, and compromise their function. Materials that extend the life of RBCs will improve blood utilization in the field, as well as in hospital settings. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) are widely used in the materials industry to counteract oxidative stress and improve oxygen storage. We have previously shown that CeONPs extended the lifespan of cells in culture and counteract oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. Here, we test the hypothesis that CeONPs extend the lifespan of RBCs in whole stored blood. Materials and Methods Rat whole blood was collected with sodium citrate and stored at 4°C. Groups consisted of control (no CeONPs), and 10 and 100 nM CeONPs (average particle size 10 nm) added. Aliquots of stored blood were removed weekly and analyzed for different blood parameters. Results Results demonstrate that CeONPs improve storage and functional lifespan of RBCs in stored whole blood. Conclusions This work suggests that CeONPs may be a promising additive for extending storage and function of blood and blood products.

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are causative agents of mild to severe intestinal and respiratory infections in humans. In the last 15 years, we have witnessed the emergence of three zoonotic, highly pathogenic HCoVs. Thus, early and accurate detection of these viral pathogens is essential for preventing transmission and providing timely treatment and monitoring of drug resistance. Herein, we applied enhanced darkfield hyperspectral microscopy (EDHM), a novel non-invasive, label-free diagnostic tool, to rapidly and accurately identify two strains of HCoVs, i.e., OC43 and 229E. The EDHM technology allows collecting the optical image with spectral and spatial details in a single measurement without direct contact between the specimen and the sensor. Thus, it can directly map spectral signatures specific for a given viral strain in a complex biological milieu. Our study demonstrated distinct spectral patterns for HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E virions in the solution, serving as distinguishable parameters for their differentiation. Furthermore, spectral signatures obtained for both HCoV strains in the infected cells displayed a considerable peak wavelength shift compared to the uninfected cell, indicating that the EDHM is applicable to detect HCoV infection in mammalian cells.

Fly ash by-products are emerging biocompatible fillers for a number of construction materials. The value of fly ash as a filler is higher if the content of hollow cenospheres is increased. Here we describe a new method for detection and sizing of fly ash spheres based on darkfield microscopy with hyperspectral image capture to perform white light interferometry. Our method is cost-effective and can provide rapid means for evaluating cenosphere content during the enrichment process. We show that fly ash cenospheres produce a strong oscillation over wavelength in optical recordings. The phenomenon is easiest to observe using microscope imaging techniques that preserve both spatial and spectral information. Frequency is observed to increase in direct proportion to the sphere diameter. The oscillation appears in light recorded from any focal plane on the sphere which indicates that the entire sphere is involved in sustaining the signal, making the detection of cenospheres of different size and displacement within a recording volume productive. There is no oscillation from nonspherical particles of fly ash or other material, so this detection method is highly selective for the cenospheres.

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are causative agents of mild to severe intestinal and respiratory infections in humans. In the last 15 years, we have witnessed the emergence of three zoonotic, highly pathogenic HCoVs. Thus, early, and accurate detection of these viral pathogens is not only essential for preventing transmission but also for the timely treatment and monitoring of drug resistance. Herein, we applied enhanced darkfield hyperspectral microscopy (EDHM), a novel non-invasive, label-free diagnostic tool for rapid and accurate identification of two strains of HCoVs, i.e., OC43 and 229E. The EDHM technology allows collecting the optical image with both spectral and spatial details in a single measurement without direct contact between the specimen and the sensor. Thus, it can provide the direct mapping of spectral signatures specific for a given viral strain in a complex biological milieu. Our study demonstrated distinct spectral patterns for HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E virions in the solution, which can serve as distinguishable parameters for their differentiation. Furthermore, spectral signatures for both HCoV strains in the infected cells displayed a considerable peak wavelength shift compared to the uninfected cell samples indicating that the EDHM is applicable to detect and differentiate between HCoV infected and uninfected cells.