Harmful Effects Of Substances Research Articles

Smoking is good. Why and how?

Dear editor, The potential of virtual reality in health1,2 is an exciting topic of discussion in the Journal of Public Health. We intend to highlight smoking behavior in the global community and relate it to virtual reality. Generally, we support research on the harmful effects of substances contained in cigarettes, whether filtered cigarettes3–5 or electronic cigarettes6–8, that could endanger the body. According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report in 2021, the percentage of adult smokers worldwide is trending downward. However, due to the increasing global population, the actual number of adult smokers is still on the rise. In 2020, it was estimated that there were around 1.1 billion adult smokers worldwide. Although this number has decreased from the previous year, it is still huge. Additionally, according to the WHO, the use of e-cigarettes among adolescents is continuing to increase and has become a serious global public health issue.

Health impact assessment of pet cats caused by organohalogen contaminants by serum metabolomics and thyroid hormone analysis

Companion animals are in close contact with the human surroundings, and there is growing concern about the effects of harmful substances on the health of pet cats. In this study, we investigated the potential health effects of organohalogen compounds (OHCs) on thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis and metabolomics in Japanese pet cats. There was a significant negative correlation between concentrations of several contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs), hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), and THs in cat serum samples. These results suggested that exposure to OHCs causes a decrease in serum TH levels in pet cats.In this metabolomics study, each exposure level of parent compounds (PCBs and PBDEs) and their hydroxylated compounds (OH-PCBs and OH-PBDEs) were associated with their own unique primary metabolic pathways, suggesting that parent and phenolic compounds exhibit different mechanisms of action and biological effects. PCBs were associated with many metabolic pathways, including glutathione and purine metabolism, and the effects were replicated in in-vivo cat PCB administration studies. These results demonstrated that OHC exposure causes chronic oxidative stress in pet cats. PBDEs were positively associated with alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Due to the chronic exposure of cats to mixtures of these contaminants, the combination of their respective metabolic pathways may have a synergistic effect.

К ВОПРОСУ ЗАЩИТЫ ПЕРСОНАЛА ОТ ВРЕДНЫХ ВЕЩЕСТВ ПРИ ПРОИЗВОДСТВЕ КОКСА И НЕФТЕБИТУМА

Measures to protect workers from the effects of harmful substances at a coke and 
 petroleum bitumen production unit are considered.

Działanie przeciwmutagenne i przeciwgenotoksyczne propolisu

The literature data indicate that propolis is distinguished by anti-mutagenic and anti-genotoxic activity. Mutagenicity is characterized by the formation of permanent and hereditary changes in the structure of the genetic material of a cell or organism. However, genotoxicity is associated with the harmful effects of substances on genetic material. To determine the anti-mutagenic and anti-genotoxic effect, a microbiological test using the histidine-dependent Salmonella typhimurium strains (Ames Test) is applied, and in pharmacological studies mutations in mammalian cells and recess mutations in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are determined. A review of the literature indicates that ethanol and aqueous extracts from propolis have got a significant anti-mutagenic and anti-genotoxic influence on many substances that cause mutagenic changes and that damage genetic material. Research indicates that propolis extracts used in therapeutic doses are safe for the human body. Mutagenic and genotoxic effects may only be induced by doses that are many times higher than therapeutic doses, i.e. above 1 g/kg body weight daily.

Determination of Minimum Required Water Flow Rate for Diluting Wastewaters before Their Discharge, Taking into Account the Summation of Effects of Harmful Substances

Procedures of reducing waste water discharges into water bodies to safe levels are described. A technique of evaluating the minimum required water flow rate for the dilution of waste waters containing several harmful substances before their discharge into a water reservoir, as well as evaluating maximum allowable discharges (MADs) of wastewaters, is given. This technique makes it possible to take into account classes of hazard and the summation of effects of substances with the same limiting harmful indices. Expressions for determining the minimum required water flowrate for wastewater dilution were obtained from the condition of admissibility of the effect of several harmful substances on reservoir waters as well as from equations of substance balance in a mixer and the mathematical description of the process of eddy diffusion of substances in the flowing water reservoir. The conditions of admissibility of the effect are presented in the form of logical products of inequalities in which the sums of relative concentrations should not exceed the value of 1. An analytical expression of the dependence of relative substance concentration in the most contaminated jet of the control point of the river on the water flow rate for dilution has been obtained. It is shown that the minimum required water flow rate for wastewater predilution can be calculated only on the basis of a numerical method. An example of numerical calculation of the water flow rate for the predilution of technical facility waste waters containing two substances, polysulfide oil and nitrites, is given for illustrating and testing the technique. In addition to these two harmful substances, the reservoir upstream the point of wastewater discharge contained chrome and fluorine. For nitrites, chrome, and fluorine, the summation of their harmful effects was taken into account. For the example under consideration, it is shown that nitrites can be safely discharged without predilution if the unidirectionality of effects is not taken into account. If the summation of effects of harmful substances is taken into account, it is necessary to predilute waste waters at a dilution multiplicity of 6.4 and a decrease in oil and nitrite concentration by 6.8 and 7.3 times to ensure environmental safety.

Substance Abuse Policy in Thailand: Current Challenges and Future Strategies

Substance abuse has been an important social and public health problem in Thailand for decades. The National Household Survey on Substance and Alcohol Use in Thailand, which has been conducted six times, shows that substance abuse has steadily increased. Extrapolated country-wide in recent data, the estimated number of people who have used at least one addictive substance at some time in their lives was 2,964,444 or 5.8% of the total population aged 12 - 65 years. Kratom, Methamphetamine, methamphetamine hydrochloride crystal (ice), and cannabis were the most prevalent substances of abuse. Historical documentation and policy reports were used in this study. The objectives of this study were to complete a document review, determine the effectiveness of previous measures to control illegal substance abuse in Thailand, and consider options for the future. Controlling illegal substance abuse in the future and minimizing total harm requires a delicate balance of efforts to reduce the prevalence, quantity, and harmful effects of substances. Drug policy interventions should be continually evaluated for their effectiveness. The strategies relevant to drug policy, apart from primary prevention, are health services for chronic drug users, reform of criminal sanctions against drug addicts, and legalization of kratom.

Substance Abuse Policy in Thailand: Current Challenges and Future Strategies

Substance abuse has been an important social and public health problem in Thailand for decades. The National Household Survey on Substance and Alcohol Use in Thailand, which has been conducted six times, shows that substance abuse has steadily increased. Extrapolated country-wide from recent data, the estimated number of people who have used at least one addictive substance at some time in their lives was 2,964,444 or 5.8% of the total population aged 12–65 years old. Kratom, methamphetamine, methamphetamine hydrochloride crystal (ice), and cannabis were the most prevalent substances of abuse. Historical documentation and policy reports were used in this study. The objectives of this study were to complete a document review, determine the effectiveness of previous measures to control illegal substance abuse in Thailand, and consider options for the future. Controlling illegal substance abuse in the future and minimizing total harm requires a delicate balance of efforts to reduce the prevalence, quantity, and harmful effects of substances. Drug policy interventions should be continually evaluated for their effectiveness. The strategies relevant to drug policy, apart from primary prevention, are provision of health services for chronic drug users, reform of criminal sanctions against drug addicts, and legalization of kratom.

Considering the summation of the effect of harmful substances during the calculation of the environmentally safe waste water discharge

This article presents the technique of assessing the maximum allowable (standard) discharge of waste waters with several harmful substances into a water reservoir. The technique makes it possible to take into account the summation of their effect provided that the limiting harmful indices are the same. The expressions for the determination of the discharge limit of waste waters have been derived from the conditions of admissibility of the effect of several harmful substances on the waters of a reservoir. Mathematical conditions of admissibility of the effect of wastewaters on a reservoir are given for the characteristic combinations of limiting harmful indices and hazard classes of several substances. The conditions of admissibility of effects are presented in the form of logical products of the sums of relative concentrations that should not exceed the value of 1. It is shown that the calculation of the process of wastewater dilution in a flowing water reservoir is possible only on the basis of a numerical method to assess the wastewater discharge limit. An example of the numerical calculation of the standard limit of industrial enterprise wastewater discharges that contain polysulfide oil, flocculant VPK-101, and fungicide captan is given to test this method. In addition to these three harmful substances, the water reservoir also contained a fourth substance, namely, Zellek-Super herbicide, above the waste discharge point. The summation of the harmful effect was taken into account for VPK-101, captan, and Zellek-Super. The reliability of the technique was tested by the calculation of concentrations of the four substances in the control point of the flowing reservoir during the estimated maximum allowable wastewater discharge. It is shown that the value of the maximum allowable discharge limit was almost two times higher for the example under consideration, taking into account that the effect of harmful substances was unidirectional, which provides a higher level of environmental safety for them.

Chemical Exposures of Women Workers in the Plastics Industry with Particular Reference to Breast Cancer and Reproductive Hazards

Despite concern about the harmful effects of substances contained in various plastic consumer products, little attention has focused on the more heavily exposed women working in the plastics industry. Through a review of the toxicology, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology literatures in conjunction with qualitative research, this article explores occupational exposures in producing plastics and health risks to workers, particularly women, who make up a large part of the workforce. The review demonstrates that workers are exposed to chemicals that have been identified as mammary carcinogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals, and that the work environment is heavily contaminated with dust and fumes. Consequently, plastics workers have a body burden that far exceeds that found in the general public. The nature of these exposures in the plastics industry places women at disproportionate risk, underlining the importance of gender. Measures for eliminating these exposures and the need for regulatory action are discussed.

New Approach to Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Its Relation to Reemission Processes

Indoor air quality is one of the factors that determine human well-being and health. Being aware of this fact, it is essential to identify the origin, kind, mechanism, and effects of harmful substances contained in the air. The issue concerning the contents and primary emission of these substances from building materials and interior furnishings is well known. Adverse effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), including exposure of passive smokers, are also very well documented. To the contrary, reports on secondary and indirect emissions, especially those focused on mechanisms by which pollution is "transferred" by materials used in interior furnishings are very rare. Textiles are used in a great variety of ways as functional and decorative materials. These materials in general, and textile floor coverings in particular, are extensively utilized in fitting apartments, public buildings, and transport means. Studies on this aspect of the role played by textile materials in ETS exposure have been only fragmentary documented.

Consumer perception versus scientific evidence about health benefits and safety risks from fish consumption

To investigate the gap between consumer perception and scientific evidence related to health benefits and safety risks from fish consumption. Consumer perceptions from a cross-sectional survey in March 2003 in Belgium were compared with scientific evidence based on a literature review. A quota sampling procedure was used with age as quota control variable. Subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire including health benefit beliefs from fish, fish content and effect beliefs for nutrients and harmful substances. Adults (n=429), who were the main person responsible for food purchasing in the household (284 women; 145 men), aged 18-83 years, from different regional, education, family size and income groups. Fish is predominantly perceived as a healthy food that reduces risk for coronary heart disease, which corroborates scientific evidence. This perception is stronger among women than among men. In contrast with scientific evidence, 46% of the consumers believe that fish contains dietary fibre, whereas less than one-third is aware that fish contains omega-3 fatty acids and that this nutrient has a positive impact on human health. The gap between perception and evidence is larger among consumers with lower education. In general, consumers are better aware of the content and effect of harmful substances than of nutrients in fish. Despite conclusive evidence about the content and positive effect of omega-3 fatty acids in fish, related consumer awareness and beliefs are poor and often wrong. This study exemplifies the need for nutrition education and more effective communication about the health benefits of fish consumption.

Protection and vulnerability processes relevant for early onset of substance use: A test among African American children.

This research tested predictions from a self-regulation model of factors relevant for early onset of tobacco and alcohol use with a community sample of 889 African American children (mean age = 10.5 years). Criterion variables were peer substance use, willingness to use substances, and resistance efficacy (intention to refuse substance offers). Structural modeling indicated effects of temperament dimensions were mediated through self-control and risk-taking constructs, which were related to school involvement, life events, and perceived vulnerability to harmful effects of substances. Peer use was predicted by life events, poor self-control, and parent-child conflict; willingness was predicted by life events, risk taking, and (inversely) parental support; and resistance efficacy was predicted by perceived vulnerability and (inversely) poor self-control. Findings are discussed with reference to theoretical models of early protection and vulnerability processes.

The dependence of renal pathology on the adverse effect of atmospheric pollution in a large industrial city

At the III All-Union Congress of Nephrologists (1986) it was emphasized that, despite the advances in theoretical and practical nephrology, the incidence of renal disease remains high, and issues such as the prevalence of nephrological pathology in various regions and its dependence on the environmental situation require in-depth study. Currently, studies to identify environmental factors that have an adverse effect on the level and structure of renal pathology are of undoubted interest. In the literature, there are works devoted to renal morbidity in connection with several risk factors. However, we failed to find information on the influence of diffuse and zonal air pollution, as well as the combined effect of harmful substances on the frequency and structure of renal pathology, in the literature. The questions about the possibility of a negative impact of atmospheric air pollution, depending on the concentration and qualitative composition, on the severity of kidney damage have not been covered either.