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Abstract Nano- and microplastics (NMPs) have become a serious global environmental threat that causes damage to mammalian organs. In this work, we investigated the potential molecular mechanism underlying the development of liver fibrosis induced by long-term exposure to three different sized polystyrene (PS)-NMPs (80 nm, 0.5 µm and 5 µm) in mice. Liver fibrosis levels were evaluated in mice after chronic exposure to PS-NMPs. Liver inflammation was mainly increased in chronic exposure to 80 nm and 0.5 µm PS-NMPs. Liver lipid deposition was significantly enhanced after PS-NMPs exposure. However, oxidative stress was not changed under PS-NMPs exposure. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses revealed that the DEGs and shared DEGs were mainly enriched in the metabolism of lipids. The mRNA expression levels of genes related to fatty acid oxidation, synthesis and transport were dramatically induced by PS-NMPs exposure. Four hub genes, Acot3, Abcc3, Nr1i3 and Fmo2, were identified by CytoHubba analysis of shared DEGs. The mRNA expression levels of three hub genes, Acot3, Abcc3 and Nr1i3, were significantly augmented under chronic PS-NMPs exposure. Our results suggest that Acot3, Abcc3 and Nr1i3 are potential molecules involved in the development of liver fibrosis under chronic exposure to PS-NMPs.

Objective: To compare the clinical anesthetic effects of ultrasound-guided traditional erector spinae plane block (ESPB) with those of modified ESPB (layer-by-layer infiltration erector spinae plane block) in elderly spinal fracture surgery. Methods: From January to December 2023, eighty patients diagnosed with geriatric spinal fractures underwent ESPB surgery at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine’s Shenzhen Hospital (Futian). The patients were randomly divided into the ESPB layer-by-layer infiltration group (Group M) and the traditional ESPB group (Group E), with 40 participants in each. The study compared ESPB operation time and percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) procedure time between the groups, as well as the intraoperative administration of additional intravenous analgesic medicines and the assessment of blood oxygen, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and pain scores at before anesthesia (T0), 20 minutes after blockade (T1), skin incision (T2), and following bone cement implantation (T3). Results: The use of additional intraoperative sufentanil in ESPB revealed significant differences between the groups (p < 0.001). From T0 to T3, there were statistically significant differences in HR, MAP, and numerical rating scale scores between the groups (p < 0.05). There were also significant differences in MAP and NRS scores between the traditional and modified ESPB groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Modified ESPB builds upon traditional ESPB by continuing to infiltrate anesthesia layer by layer along the direction of the erector spinae fascia after the puncture needle reaches the ultrasoundguided nerve block plane. This method effectively enhances intraoperative analgesia and sedation in spinal compression surgery, improving the quality of anesthesia in senior spinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]