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Evaluation for safety of antioxidant chemopreventive agents.

Antioxid Redox Signal. 2005 Nov-Dec;7(11-12):1728-39

Authors: Kawanishi S, Oikawa S, Murata M

Antioxidants are considered as the most promising chemopreventive agents against various human cancers. However, some antioxidants play paradoxical roles, acting as "double-edged sword." A primary property of effective and acceptable chemopreventive agents should be freedom from toxic effects in healthy population. Miscarriage of the intervention by beta-carotene made us realize the necessity for evaluation of safety before recommending use of antioxidant supplements for chemoprevention. We have evaluated the safety of antioxidants on the basis of reactivity with DNA. Our results revealed that phytic acid, luteolin, and retinoic acid did not cause DNA damage under the experimental condition. Furthermore, phytic acid inhibited the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, an indicator of oxidative DNA damage, in cultured cells treated with a H(2)O(2)-generating system. Thus, it is expected that these chemopreventive agents can safely protect humans against cancer. On the other hand, some chemopreventive agents with prooxidant properties (alpha-tocopherol, quercetin, catechins, isothiocyanates, N-acetylcysteine) caused DNA damage via generation of reactive oxygen species in the presence of metal ions and endogenous reductants under some circumstances. Furthermore, other chemopreventive agents (beta-carotene, genistein, daidzein, propyl gallate, curcumin) exerted prooxidant properties after metabolic activation. Therefore, further studies on safety should be required when antioxidants are used for cancer prevention. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 7, 1728-1739.

PMID: 16356133 [PubMed - in process]

Posted by blogposter at 05:02 PM | Permalink

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[Ecological characteristics of phytoplankton in Suining tributary under bio-remediation]

Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao. 2005 Apr;16(4):703-7

Authors: Liu D, Zhao J, Zhang Y, Ma L

Based on the analyses of phytoplankton community in the treated and untreated reaches of Suining tributary of Suzhou River, this paper studied the effects of bio-remediation on phytoplankton. As the result of the remediation, the density and Chl-a content of phytoplankton in treated reach were greatly declined, while the species number and Shannon-Wiener diversity index ascended obviously. The percentage of Chlorophyta and Baeillariophyta ascended, and some species indicating medium-and oligo-pollution were found. All of these illustrated that bio-remediation engineering might significantly benefit to the improvement of phytoplankton community structure and water quality.

PMID: 16011171 [PubMed - in process]

Posted by blogposter at 05:01 PM | Permalink

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Evaluation for safety of antioxidant chemopreventive agents.

Antioxid Redox Signal. 2005 Nov-Dec;7(11-12):1728-39

Authors: Kawanishi S, Oikawa S, Murata M

Antioxidants are considered as the most promising chemopreventive agents against various human cancers. However, some antioxidants play paradoxical roles, acting as "double-edged sword." A primary property of effective and acceptable chemopreventive agents should be freedom from toxic effects in healthy population. Miscarriage of the intervention by beta-carotene made us realize the necessity for evaluation of safety before recommending use of antioxidant supplements for chemoprevention. We have evaluated the safety of antioxidants on the basis of reactivity with DNA. Our results revealed that phytic acid, luteolin, and retinoic acid did not cause DNA damage under the experimental condition. Furthermore, phytic acid inhibited the formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, an indicator of oxidative DNA damage, in cultured cells treated with a H(2)O(2)-generating system. Thus, it is expected that these chemopreventive agents can safely protect humans against cancer. On the other hand, some chemopreventive agents with prooxidant properties (alpha-tocopherol, quercetin, catechins, isothiocyanates, N-acetylcysteine) caused DNA damage via generation of reactive oxygen species in the presence of metal ions and endogenous reductants under some circumstances. Furthermore, other chemopreventive agents (beta-carotene, genistein, daidzein, propyl gallate, curcumin) exerted prooxidant properties after metabolic activation. Therefore, further studies on safety should be required when antioxidants are used for cancer prevention. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 7, 1728-1739.

PMID: 16356133 [PubMed - in process]

Posted by blogposter at 06:36 PM | Permalink

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Applications of bacterial hydrogenases in waste decontamination, manufacture of novel bionanocatalysts and in sustainable energy.

Biochem Soc Trans. 2005 Feb;33(Pt 1):76-9

Authors: Macaskie LE, Baxter-Plant VS, Creamer NJ, Humphries AC, Mikheenko IP, Mikheenko PM, Penfold DW, Yong P

Bacterial hydrogenases have been harnessed to the removal of heavy metals from solution by reduction to less soluble metal species. For Pd(II), its bioreduction results in the deposition of cell-bound Pd(0)-nanoparticles that are ferromagnetic and have a high catalytic activity. Hydrogenases can also be used synthetically in the production of hydrogen from sugary wastes through breakdown of formate produced by fermentation. The Bio-H(2) produced can be used to power an electrical device using a fuel cell to provide clean electricity. Production of hydrogen from confectionery wastes by one organism (Escherichia coli) can be used as the electron donor for the production of Bio-Pd(0) from soluble Pd(II) by a second organism. The resulting Bio-Pd(0) can then be used as a bioinorganic catalyst in the remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated solutions or polychlorinated biphenyls at the expense of Bio-H(2), as a hydrogenation catalyst for industry or as a component of a fuel cell electrode.

PMID: 15667270 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by blogposter at 06:36 PM | Permalink

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The basics of an exposure control plan.

J Perianesth Nurs. 2003 Jun;18(3):186-95

Authors: Keith D

Prevention and control of employee injury and exposure begins with an organizational commitment to provide a safe work environment for the employees. An Exposure Control Plan (ECP) helps to ensure this safe environment, and is developed by an organization and administered to provide for the elimination and minimization of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, which is one of the greatest areas of risk for the health care provider. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 29 CFR 1010.1030, "Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens," outlines the requirements necessary to meet compliance as an institution. However, occupational exposure requirements have changed over the last few years and now incorporate practice advances regarding safety devices (ie, needleless and protected) and their use and implementation. Directives addressing the management of the employee who has been exposed to blood-borne pathogens have also been added. This article focuses on important elements in developing an institutional exposure control plan.

PMID: 12808516 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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A proposed methodology for setting occupational exposure limits for hydrocarbon solvents.

J Occup Environ Hyg. 2005 Oct;2(10):524-42

Authors: McKee RH, Medeiros AM, Daughtrey WC

Occupational exposure limit (OEL) development for hydrocarbon solvents is complicated because most of these solvents have complex compositions and only a few representative constituents have been studied in detail. A proposed solution to this problem is to group constituents with similar physical, chemical, and toxicological properties and to assign "guidance values" to each group. A unique OEL can then be calculated for each solvent, using a reciprocal calculation procedure (RCP) based on the liquid composition. This procedure follows the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) generic advice for complex mixtures and is recommended by the U.K. Health and Safety Executive for OEL calculations by hydrocarbon solvent manufacturers. The RCP is justified, as the toxicological properties of the constituents are additive and the differences between the vapor and liquid compositions do not substantially affect the calculated exposure limits. The guidance values are based principally on acute central nervous system depression and eye and respiratory tract irritation, effects that are the most sensitive indicators of hydrocarbon solvent exposure. One benefit of this procedure is that it is a relatively simple but practical procedure that requires limited compositional information. Further, it provides OEL recommendations that are consistent with occupational experience and current regulatory advice. Groupings and guidance values are proposed, and sample calculations are provided.

PMID: 16174635 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by blogposter at 01:00 PM | Permalink

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Bench-scale column experiments to study the containment of Cr(VI) in confined aquifers by bio-transformation.

J Hazard Mater. 2005 Oct 28;

Authors: Shashidhar T, Philip L, Murty Bhallamudi S

Bench-scale soil column experiments were conducted to study the effectiveness of Cr(VI) containment in confined aquifers using in situ bio-transformation. Batch adsorption studies were carried out to estimate the adsorption capacities of two different soils for Cr(VI) and Cr(III). Bio-kinetic parameters were evaluated for the enriched microbial system. The inhibition constant, evaluated using Monod's inhibition model, was found to be 11.46mg/L of Cr(VI). Transport studies indicated that it would not be possible to contain Cr(VI) by adsorption alone. Transport and bio-transformation studies indicated that the pore velocity and the initial bio-mass concentration significantly affect the containment process. In situ bio-remediation is effective in the case of silty aquifers. Cr(VI) concentration of 25mg/L was effectively contained within 60cm of a confined silty aquifer. Cr(VI) containment could be achieved in sandy aquifers when the pore velocity was very low and the initial augmented bio-mass was high. A bio-barrier of approximately one meter width would be able to contain Cr(VI) if the initial Cr(VI) concentration is as much as 25mg/L.

PMID: 16263213 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Posted by blogposter at 01:00 PM | Permalink

Comprehensive program for handling hazardous drugs.

Am J Hosp Pharm. 1993 Jun;50(6):1170-4

Authors: Arrington DM, McDiarmid MA

Development and implementation of a comprehensive program for safe handling of hazardous drugs is described. A comprehensive, multidisciplinary program for handling hazardous drugs was developed at a 1000-bed tertiary care, university teaching institution. Hazardous drugs were identified by a hazardous-drug working group consisting of occupational health professionals, pharmacists, and an industrial hygienist. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1986 handling guidelines were used as a template, with input solicited from pharmacy staff and from other institutions. A new system for receiving, storing, and transporting hazardous drugs--which also included new labeling for such drugs--was implemented. The new guidelines were discussed with the staff, with emphasis placed on absolute compliance and incorporation of the guidelines into standard operating procedures and daily pharmacy practices. All pharmacy employees underwent retraining to ensure complete understanding. A voluntary medical surveillance program for pharmacy employees was developed concomitantly to monitor exposure to genotoxic hazardous drugs. Implementation of a comprehensive program for safe handling of hazardous drugs increased employee understanding of the need for such a program and improved the hospital's compliance with recent OSHA regulations.

PMID: 8517456 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Evaluation of lead hazard control treatments in four Massachusetts communities through analysis of blood-lead surveillance data.

Environ Res. 2005 Oct;99(2):214-23

Authors: Strauss W, Pivetz T, Ashley P, Menkedick J, Slone E, Cameron S

This study utilized existing blood-lead surveillance data and records of housing properties treated for lead hazard control (LHC) in order to investigate the effectiveness of LHC treatments performed in four Massachusetts communities (Boston, Cambridge, Malden, and Springfield). This research is part of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) overall program evaluation strategy for assessing the effectiveness of their LHC Grant Program. Childhood blood-lead levels (BLLs) in housing units that were treated through HUD's LHC Grant Program were compared to BLLs in untreated matched control housing units. Data from multiple sources-local housing departments, local tax assessor departments, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health-were linked to identify similar sets of treated and untreated dwellings. Geometric mean BLLs from before and after treatment were compared for the two sets of housing. Ten years of blood-lead surveillance data for children living in the selected dwellings were analyzed using log-linear mixed models and logistic regression models. Results indicate a 50% decline in BLLs in treated homes, a significantly larger decline than in untreated homes after adjusting for the general downward trend in BLLs observed in the general population for the last several years. Data show that homes that received HUD LHC treatments had children with blood-lead levels that declined twice as fast as in similar untreated homes. These findings show that LHC efforts are successful in reducing children's blood-lead levels.

PMID: 16194671 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by blogposter at 06:13 PM | Permalink

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Impact of infrastructure characteristics on road crashes on two-lane highways.

Traffic Inj Prev. 2005 Sep;6(3):240-7

Authors: Polus A, Pollatschek MA, Farah H

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study is to estimate and quantify the contribution of the infrastructure to highway crashes and to develop an infrastructure coefficient, that represents the overall characteristics of the highway and could be used as an independent variable in a crash-prediction model. METHODS: The infrastructure is defined in this study as the highway and its geometric features, including alignment, road-side elements, sight-distances, presence of guardrails, access-points, roadway consistency, and additional variables that measure the overall quality of the highway alignment and elements. The analysis and developments are conducted for two-lane rural highways. The approach taken is to identify the high crash-rate roads, those with crash rates above 0.25 crashes per million vehicle-km, by Smallest Space Analysis. This type of analysis allows the aggregation of higher crash-rate roads versus lower-crash-rate roads only by their infrastructure coefficients, without consideration of their crash records. RESULTS: Crash rates that are attached by Smallest Space Analysis to the group of roads that had less desirable infrastructure features show a high correlation between the same roads and high crash rates vs. identified better infrastructures and low crash rates. Further analysis shows that low crash-rate infrastructure, as defined in this study for two-lane rural highways, can reduce the crash rate by 44% versus high crash-rate infrastructure, at the 99% confidence level, which is almost a certainty. A model for the prediction of crash rates based on a proposed infrastructure coefficient is calibrated and presented. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that this model be used in evaluating alternatives for new highways or in improving the alignment and road features of existing highways.

PMID: 16087465 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by blogposter at 06:13 PM | Permalink

Limitation of point source pesticide pollution: results of bioremediation system.

Commun Agric Appl Biol Sci. 2004;69(4):719-32

Authors: Spanoghe P, Maes A, Steurbaut W

Groundwater and surface water is at risk of contamination from the use of some agricultural pesticides. In many circumstances pesticide contamination of water resources is more likely to result from point sources than from diffuse sources following approved application to crops in the field. Such point sources include areas on farms where pesticides are handled, filled into sprayers or where sprayers are washed down. To overcome this way of contamination different kind of bio-remediation systems are nowadays in development. In Flanders, Belgium two pilot plants of bioremediation systems for the in situ retention and/or degradation of pesticides were installed. Both systems were based on the Phytobac concept, a watertight excavation filled with straw, peat, compost and soil. The channel was made in the bottom from plastic foil. All kinds of spray rests were captured by the phytobacs. This study focuses on what level pesticides leach, bio-degrade or are retained by the filling of the phytobac. The soil-properties of the filling were investigated. Pesticide tracers were added for monitoring to both phytobacs. Soil and water samples were taken during one year. Pesticides are retained at least for one month by the filling of the phytobac. Almost no pesticide leached out. In winter hardly any pesticide degradation was observed in the filling of the phytobac. In summer no detectable pesticides were still left in the phytobacs.

PMID: 15756863 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Posted by blogposter at 06:12 PM | Permalink

What is the cost of office compliance? An ADA survey on OSHA regulations, dentistry.

Dent Teamwork. 1994 Nov-Dec;7(6):26-9

Authors: Feldman M, Bramson J

PMID: 9485646 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) exposure of voluntary plasma and platelet donors.

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2005 Nov 18;208(6):489-498

Authors: Koch HM, Angerer J, Drexler H, Eckstein R, Weisbach V

Each year thousands of healthy volunteers undergo apheresis procedures to donate blood components and safe lives. However, many disposables used in apheresis contain di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). This way, donors are exposed to DEHP, which is a reproductive and developmental toxicant in animals and a suspected endocrine modulator in humans. We quantified the DEHP exposure of six plasma donors, six discontinuous-flow platelet donors and six continuous-flow platelet donors by determining three specific metabolites in urine (5OH-MEHP: mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl)phthalate; 5oxo-MEHP: mono(2-ethyl-5-oxo-hexyl)phthalate and MEHP: mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate). We found maximum concentrations in urine samples after the discontinuous-flow plateletpheresis procedure with 826mug/l for 5OH-MEHP, 774mug/l for 5oxo-MEHP and 266mug/l for MEHP (mean of the six volunteers). Metabolite excretions were found to be significantly (p<0.0001) higher for both plateletpheresis techniques compared to plasmapheresis and controls. Continuous-flow plateletpheresis led to significantly higher (p<0.0001) excretions than discontinuous-flow plateletpheresis. Mean absolute DEHP exposures were 1.2mg for discontinuous- and 2.1mg for continuous-flow plateletpheresis. Exposure for plasmapheresis (0.37mg) was in the range of the controls (0.41mg). Mean DEHP doses for both plateletpheresis techniques (18.1 and 32.3mug/kg/day) were close to or exceeded the reference dose (RfD) of the US EPA and tolerable daily intake (TDI) value of the EU on the day of the apheresis. Therefore, margins of safety might be insufficient to protect especially young men and women in their reproductive age from effects on reproductivity. At present, discontinuous-flow devices should be preferred to avert conceivable health risks from plateletpheresis donors. Strategies to avoid DEHP exposure of donors during apheresis need to be developed.

PMID: 16325559 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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