Microplastic pollution is an emerging environmental problem, and little research has focused on its impact on the human body. Based on retrospective case series, the study required participants to fill out a questionnaire and provide sputum samples in order to investigate the presence of microplastics in human sputum and determine whether humans involuntarily inhale them. A total of 22 patients suffering from different respiratory diseases were recruited. We used an Agilent 8700 laser infrared imaging spectrometer and Fourier-transform infrared microscope to analyze sputum samples and evaluate microplastics in the respiratory tract. Remarkably, the size range of the method for detecting microplastics in our study is 20–500 μm. The results showed that 21 types of microplastics were identified, and polyurethane was dominant, followed by polyester, chlorinated polyethylene, and alkyd varnish, accounting for 78.36% of the total microplastics. Most of the aspirated microplastics detected are smaller than 500 μm in size (median: 75.43 μm; interquartile range: 44.67–210.64 μm). Microplastics are ubiquitous in all sputum, indicating that inhalation is a potential way for plastics to enter the human body. Additionally, the quantities of microplastic types in the respiratory tract are related to smoking, invasive examination, etc. (P < 0.05). This study sheds new light on microplastic exposure, which provides basic data for the risk assessment of microplastics to human health.

Abstract. Neuroblastoma is a complex form of cancer with highly heterogeneous clinical behavior that arises during childhood from precursor cells of the sympathetic nervous system. In patients with neuroblastoma, mortality often occurs as a result of metastasis. The disease predominantly spreads to bone marrow, with a survival rate of ~40%. The current study demonstrates that microRNA (miR)-506 directly targets and downregulates Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) in transforming growth factor (TGF)-β non-canonical pathways. It may be concluded that ROCK1 contributes to the invasion and migration of neuroblastoma cells by directly downregulating miR-506; thus, leading to the upregulation of ROCK1, which promotes cell invasion and migration. The present results provide a novel understanding of how miR-506 directly regulates TGF-β non-canonical

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Rex shunt is an effective approach for the treatment of children suffering from CTPV at an early stage that do not show additional liver lesions.

D-dimer is a specific degradation product derived from fibrinolytic cross-linked fibrin clots and mainly reflects fibrinolysis. 1 The production of D-dimer requires the sequential activity of three enzymes: thrombin, factor XIIIa, and plasmin. 2 When blood coagulation occurs, thrombin acts on fibrinogen and transforms into cross-linked fibrin under the action of factor XIIIa. At the same