Development trends of human organoid-based COVID-19 research based on bibliometric analysis.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has posed a catastrophic threat to human health worldwide. Human stem cell-derived organoids serve as a promising platform for exploring SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several review articles have summarized the application of human organoids in COVID-19, but the research status and development trend of this field have seldom been systematically and comprehensively studied. In this review, we use bibliometric analysis method to identify the characteristics of organoid-based COVID-19 research. First, an annual trend of publications and citations, the most contributing countries or regions and organizations, co-citation analysis of references and sources and research hotspots are determined. Next, systematical summaries of organoid applications in investigating the pathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccine development and drug discovery, are provided. Lastly, the current challenges and future considerations of this field are discussed. The present study will provide an objective angle to identify the current trend and give novel insights for directing the future development of human organoid applications in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Plastic or plastic-free life: From formation to removal.

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have caused global environmental concerns due to their ubiquitous existence in our surrounding environment and the potential threats posed to the ecosystem and human health. This review aims to extend current knowledge on the formation and degradation of MPs and NPs. The paper presents the potential sources of MPs and NPs including plastic containers, textiles, cosmetics, personal care products, COVID-19 wastes, and other plastic products. Once in the natural environment, the fragmentation and degradation of plastic wastes are thought to be initiated by physical, chemical, and biological factors. The corresponding degradation mechanism will be presented in the present review. Given the plastic life and environment, humans are inevitably exposed to MPs and NPs through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. The potential risks MPs/NPs pose to humans will be also discussed in our study. Currently, the relevance of MP/NP exposure to human health outcomes is still controversial and not yet fully understood. Deciphering the translocation and degradation of plastics in the human body will be helpful to reveal their potential organotoxicity. In this case, available approaches to alleviate MP/NP pollution and advanced strategies to reduce MP/NP toxicity in humans are recommended to build a plastic-free life.

Unraveling the potential human health risks from used disposable face mask-derived micro/nanoplastics during the COVID-19 pandemic scenario: A critical review.

With the global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), disposable face masks (DFMs) have caused negative environmental impacts. DFMs will release microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) during environmental degradation. However, few studies reveal the release process of MPs/NPs from masks in the natural environment. This review presents the current knowledge on the abiotic and biotic degradation of DFMs. Though MPs and NPs have raised serious concerns about their potentially detrimental effects on human health, little attention was paid to their impacts on human health from DFM-derived MPs and NPs. The potential toxicity of mask-derived MPs/NPs, such as gastrointestinal toxicity, pneumotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, reproductive and transgenerational toxicity, and the underlying mechanism will be discussed in the present study. MPs/NPs serve as carriers of toxic chemicals and pathogens, leading to their bioaccumulation and adverse effects of biomagnification by food chains. Given human experiments are facing ethical issues and animal studies cannot completely reveal human characteristics, advanced human organoids will provide promising models for MP/NP risk assessment. Moreover, in-depth investigations are required to identify the release of MPs/NPs from discarded face masks and characterize their transportation through the food chains. More importantly, innovative approaches and eco-friendly strategies are urgently demanded to reduce DFM-derived MP/NP pollution.