Rapid Detection of Aspergillus flavus and Quantitative Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Grain Crops Using a Portable Raman Spectrometer Combined with Colloidal Au Nanoparticles.

Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxins in grain crops give rise to a serious threat to food security and cause huge economic losses. In particular, aflatoxin B1 has been identified as a Class I carcinogen to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Compared with conventional methods, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has paved the way for the detection of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxins in grain crops as it is a rapid, nondestructive, and sensitive analytical method. In this work, the rapid detection of Aspergillus flavus and quantification of Aflatoxin B1 in grain crops were performed by using a portable Raman spectrometer combined with colloidal Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). With the increase of the concentration of Aspergillus flavus spore suspension in the range of 102-108 CFU/mL, the better the combination of Aspergillus flavus spores and AuNPs, the better the enhancement effect of AuNPs solution on the Aspergillus flavus. A series of different concentrations of aflatoxin B1 methanol solution combined with AuNPs were determined based on SERS and their spectra were similar to that of solid powder. Moreover, the characteristic peak increased gradually with the increase of concentration in the range of 0.0005-0.01 mg/L and the determination limit was 0.0005 mg/L, which was verified by HPLC in ppM concentration. This rapid detection method can greatly shorten the detection time from several hours or even tens of hours to a few minutes, which can help to take effective measures to avoid causing large economic losses.

The new tobacco products in the new era

Since its first emergence in Dec. 2013, heated tobacco products (HTPs) have been rapidly spread in Japan, accounting for the majority of world market share. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2019, 27% of male and 25% of female adult tobacco users used HTPs and the percentage reached 50% among youths. This “new” type of tobacco has tremendous impacts on tobacco control both in terms of science and society. From a viewpoint of monitoring, it is becoming harder and harder, to accurately grasp its prevalence due to rapid changes in the products' line-up and appearance. This also make it difficult to perform chemical analyses of the products. HTPs are becoming a loophole of the new national clean air policy that started in Japan in Apr. 2020 and related ordinances on a municipality level. Under the pandemic of COVID-19, Tobacco industry is promoting HTPs by making them look like a solution for the restriction of the place of tobacco use. HTPs contains many harmful or potentially harmful substances including carcinogens but are promoted as less harmful products. Those misleading promotions are being conducted utilizing the lack of mandatory regulations on the advertisement and promotion in Japan.

Utilization of indoor tanning: A cross-sectional study using mobile device data

Indoor tanning using ultraviolet (UV) radiation increases skin cancer risk. However, there is little objective information on when or where indoor tanning is used. We aimed to evaluate tanning salon geography and patterns of use using objective data rather than self-report. We used data from SafeGraph, a company that combines smartphone location data and proprietary geographic data. Our dataset included aggregate, anonymous data from January 1, 2018-December 31, 2020. We developed and validated an algorithm (positive predictive value 92.6%) to identify businesses offering UV indoor tanning. We evaluated tanning salon locations, number of tanning salons per state population, and foot traffic patterns by visits per month, per day of the week, and per hour of the day. Our algorithm identified 7412 businesses as tanning salons. Of those, 2795 (37.7%) had foot traffic data available. The highest concentrations of tanning salons were in Midwestern states. We found peaks in the spring (April) of 2018 and 2019, a slightly later peak (June) in 2020, and a short-term decrease in tanning salon visits during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic (March-May 2020). Visits were most frequent during weekdays (Monday-Friday). Peak times of day were 12pm-3pm. Our study has limitations: it includes only a small portion of the US population (approximately 10% of mobile devices) and we could not account for indoor tanning outside of tanning salons. Indoor tanning is a known carcinogen, but the majority of information on use is based on cross-sectional surveys. Our study represents new information for public health strategies to decrease exposure to this carcinogen.

Radon(Rn) detected Amount and Countermeasures for New Apartment Buildings

In 2020, COVID-19 became a global pandemic;new vocabulary such as self-quarantine, social distancing, and temporary living facilities emerged in tandem with a rising interest for indoor isolation spaces. As a result, more than 80-90% were voluntarily or artificially trapped in an indoor space, essentially making indoor air quality a top priority. Since 2003, the Ministry of Environment in Korea implemented and imposed on local governments the indoor air quality management law as a statutory regulation to monitor and determine if the recommended standard range is exceeded;it measures, diagnoses, evaluates, and informs indoor air quality from sample households during a certain period and a certain number of times each year. Since 2000, many researchers have studied indoor air quality, but research on radon in new apartment buildings is somewhat insufficient. Since 2018, the dangers of domestic and foreign radon have been intensifying. From 2019, Korea was obliged to strengthen the recommendation standards for radon and to notify its measurements and diagnosis. For new apartment buildings with business plans approved after January 1, 2018, residents were provided with obligatory access to the measured and diagnosed indoor air quality. This study examines the administrative notices from 2017 to 2020 regarding the indoor air quality measurements and evaluations of new apartment buildings conducted by the Ministry of Environment. Actual radon measurement data for approximately 3,000 new apartment housing units scheduled to move in between June and October 2021 were analyzed and evaluated to determine how well the recommended radon standards set by the Ministry of Environment were followed. Additionally, achieving the goal of reducing radon from the current standard of 148Bq/㎥ to 100Bq/㎥ by 2024 was assessed. © 2022 Architectural Institute of Korea.

The Paradoxical Relationship Between Nicotine and SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review

Across the board, smoking is considered to be negative toward our health. While this information has been known for a relatively long time, the COVID19 pandemic has stirred up a controversial idea: that smokers are protected from severe COVID-19 relative to non-smokers. This suggests that smoking is a helpful agent in the evolving fight against SARS-CoV-2, and impressionable individuals are at risk of starting to smoke as a means of protecting themselves from the virus. To address the validity of this claim, a systematic review was done according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed was searched for relevant articles and the results were screened according to inclusion criteria. Our search yielded a total of 81 results and after removal of duplicates, non-English papers, and a quality appraisal a total of 16 papers were included in this review. We found that while smokers were more likely present with a less severe disease due to downregulation of severe cytokine storm, they were overall more likely to contract COVID-19 due to upregulation of ACE-2 receptors which SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter the cells of the respiratory epithelium. Also, long time smokers who develop COPD are more likely to have fatal outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Further, these results were due to the effects of nicotine and not cigarettes themselves. Since cigarettes contain numerous carcinogens, they are not recommended as a prophylaxis for COVID-19. However, we recommend that nicotine should be a topic for further research as potential therapy.

From vaping and smoking: Risk assessment of new tobacco and nicotine releasing systems

90% of all e-cigarette users use tobacco cigarettes instead of quitting smoking and, due to sweet-flavored liquids and advertising as a lifestyle product, young never-smokers are increasingly using these new products. Even though e-cigarettes may also contain lower levels of harmful substances, no e-cigarette was free from potentially toxic and carcinogenic substances, and there is also evidence that e-cigarettes contain new toxic substances;in 2019, they led to EVALI in the USA with 68 deaths. In the steam from tobacco heaters, 295% increased amounts of carcinogenic acenaphthene compared to tobacco cigarettes were found. The use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters did not reduce tobacco-related diseases. Shisha lead to a similar nicotine addiction potential, a considerably higher pollution, and carbon monoxide exposure. Shiazzo steam stones have a significantly lower health risk than shishas with the same risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The consumption of e-cigarettes by adolescents and young adults led to a 5-fold increased risk of contracting COVID-19, in combination with tobacco cigarettes even to a 7-fold increased risk. The new tobacco or nicotine-releasing substances are neither harmless to health nor suitable for smoking cessation.

Perspective: Young Workers at Higher Risk for Carcinogen Exposures.

Young workers, those under the age of 25, are considered a vulnerable working population, primarily due to their increased risk of injury. In this study we investigate if young workers may also be at an increased risk for occupational exposure to carcinogens. Using the 2006 and 2016 Canadian Census of Population and previously obtained CAREX Canada data, this study aimed to identify sectors and occupations that have high proportions of young workers and where potential exists for exposure to known and suspected carcinogens. Key groups where young workers are likely at a higher risk for occupational exposure to carcinogens were identified. Our work shows that young workers in construction, outdoor occupations, and farming are key groups that warrant further investigation. These specific groups are highlighted because of the large number of young workers employed in these sectors/situations, the high number of possible carcinogen exposures, and the potential for higher risk behavior patterns that typically occur in these types of jobs. While there is no data available to develop carcinogen exposure estimates specific to young workers, it is our perspective that young workers are likely at a higher risk for occupational exposure to carcinogens. Our findings identify opportunities to improve the occupational health and safety for this vulnerable population, particularly for young construction workers, farm workers, and outdoor workers.

Re-evaluation of hazard classifications and exposure limits for lead – An example for an advanced mode of operation within the MAK commission during COVID-19 restrictions

Introduction: The Permanent Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (MAK Commission) was founded in 1955 to evaluate hazards and exposure limits (MAK values) and to counsel the German authorities of occupational health and safety prevention. Since then, tasks, evaluation concepts, communication processes and operating structure advanced continuously. Material and Methods: Today, the structure of the commission consists of four core groups (“MAK”, “BAT”, “Air monitoring”, “Biomonitoring”), accompanied by four working groups for the assessment of specific compound groups, four working groups for specific classifications, three working groups for adverse outcome pathways and epidemiology, as well as ad-hoc working groups for current issues. The mode of operation and interworking between the working groups and the changeover to online communication processes is demonstrated using the recent evaluation of lead. Results: In the period September 2020 - February 2021 the MAK commission performed a complete re-evaluation of lead. Coordinated by the core groups “MAK” and “BAT”, accompanied by the subgroups “Lead”, “Carcinogenesis”, “Developmental toxicology” and “Neurotoxicity”, the MAK Commission classified lead and its inorganic compounds as category 4 carcinogens and in pregnancy risk group A and set new BAT and MAK values. Conclusion: The extremely efficient workflow of the reevaluation of hazard classifications and exposure limits was crucially supported by the new online communication processes which was pushed by the COVID-19 restrictions.