Potential Biological Risk Research Articles

Twin-based Mendelian Randomization Analyses Highlight Smoking's Effects on Blood DNA Methylation, with Putative Reverse Causation.

Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) aim to identify differentially methylated loci associated with complex traits and disorders. EWAS of cigarette smoking shows some of the most widespread DNA methylation (DNAm) associations in blood. However, traditional EWAS cannot differentiate between causation and confounding, leading to ambiguity in etiological interpretations. Here, we apply an integrated approach combining Mendelian Randomization and twin-based Direction-of-Causation analyses (MR-DoC) to examine causality underlying smoking-associated blood DNAm changes in the Netherlands Twin Register (N=2577). Evidence across models suggests that current smoking's causal effects on DNAm likely drive many of the previous EWAS findings, implicating functional pathways relevant to several adverse health outcomes of smoking, including hemopoiesis, cell- and neuro-development, and immune regulation. Additionally, we find evidence of potential reverse causal influences at some DNAm sites, with 17 of these sites enriched for gene regulatory functional elements in the brain. The top three sites with evidence of DNAm's effects on smoking annotate to genes involved in G protein-coupled receptor signaling (GNG7, RGS3) and innate immune response (SLC15A4), elucidating potential biological risk factors for smoking. This study highlights the utility of integrating genotypic and DNAm measures in twin cohorts to clarify the causal relationships between health behaviors and blood DNAm.

Occurrence, formation, and proteins perturbation of disinfection byproducts in indoor air resulting from chlorine disinfection

Increased amounts of chlorine disinfectant have been sprayed to inactivate viruses in the environment since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the health risk from chemicals, especially disinfection byproducts (DBPs), has unintentionally increased. In this study, we characterized the occurrence of haloacetic acids (HAAs) and trihalomethanes (THMs) in indoor air and evaluated their formation potential from typical indoor ingredients. Subsequently, the adverse effect of chloroacetic acid on A549 cells was depicted at the proteomic, transcriptional and silico levels. The results revealed that the total concentrations of HAAs and THMs ranged from 1.46 to 4.20 μg/m3 in ten indoor environments. Both classes of DBPs could be generated during the chlorination of prevalent terpenes by competing reactions, which are associated with the volatile state of indoor ingredients after disinfection. The C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway and cellular senescence were significantly perturbed pathways, which interfered with the development of lung fibrosis. The negative effect was further investigated by molecular docking and transcription, which showed that HAAs can interact with four C-type lectin receptor proteins by hydrogen bonds and inhibit the mRNA expression of related proteins. This study highlights the potential secondary biological risk caused by intensive DBPs generated from chlorination and draws our attention to the potential environmental factors leading to chronic respiratory disease.

Distinct mucosal and systemic immunological characteristics in transgender women potentially relating to HIV acquisition.

Transgender women (TGW) are disproportionally affected by HIV infection, with a global estimated prevalence of 19.9%, often attributed to behavioral risk factors, with less known about biological factors. We evaluated potential biological risk factors for HIV acquisition in TGW at the sites of viral entry by assessing immune parameters of the neovaginal surface and gut mucosa. The neovagina in TGW, compared with the vagina in cisgender women (CW), shows distinct cell composition and may pose a more inflammatory environment, evidenced by increased CD4+ T cell activation and higher levels of soluble markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, soluble CD30). Increased inflammation may be driven by microbiome composition, as shown by a greater abundance of Prevotella and a higher Shannon Diversity Index. In addition, we have observed higher frequency of CD4+CCR5+ target cells and decreased DNA methylation of the CCR5 gene in the gut mucosa of TGW compared with CW and men who have sex with men, which was inversely correlated with testosterone levels. The rectal microbiome composition in TGW appears to favor a proinflammatory milieu as well as mucosal barrier disruption. Thus, it is possible that increased inflammation and higher frequencies of CCR5-expressing target cells at sites of mucosal viral entry may contribute to increased risk of HIV acquisition in TGW, with further validation in larger studies warranted.

Токсиколого-гігієнічна оцінка сучасних засобів захисту органів дихання від респіраторних інфекцій

One of the leading places among medical products in terms of application is occupied by surgical and protective, disposable masks, designed for protection and prevention of diseases that are transmitted by air. Aim. Conduct an analysis of samples of protective and surgical masks to determine the possibility of their use as intended. Materials and Мethods. Examination of medical and surgical masks of various manufacturers in accordance with the requirements of the Technical Regulations on medical products (Cabinet Resolution No. 753 dated 02.10.2013). Results. Modern methodological approaches to assessing the degree of potential risk of medical products are based on the study of toxicological characteristics and sanitary-chemical indicators in accordance with the requirements of DSTU ISO 10993-1:2015, namely: determination of the spectrum of potential biological risk factors (cytotoxicity, skin-irritating and sensitizing effects), bactericidal filtration; determination of the qualitative and quantitative composition of chemicals (phenol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde) in accordance with the requirements of DSTU EN ISO 10993-12:2015 and DSTU EN ISO 10993-13:2015; determination of breathability, durability against splashes, in accordance with the requirements (DSTU EN 14683:2014 "Surgical masks. Requirements and test methods"). The specified indicators make it possible to determine the possibilities of using medical products ‒ medical masks, are mandatory and are measured by the institutions of the Derzhspozhivstandard of Ukraine. Conclusions. Modern methods of sanitary and chemical research make it possible to study the processes of migration of components and degradation products from the materials of medical masks into simulated environments, to identify the composition of migrating chemical compounds, to study the degradation products of polymers, and to determine the scope of further toxicological studies. Keywords: biological safety, means of individual protection of respiratory organs, surgical and protective masks.

Assessment of pollution and metal toxicity in the bed sediment of El-Rayan Lakes, Fayoum, Egypt

Sediments are vital components of aquatic ecosystems, which trap and store various essential elements as well as harmful polluting substances. This is why sediment quality assessment is of great importance in measuring the quality, or pollution, of water bodies. In this study, the levels, ecological risk, and toxicity indices of 17 heavy metals (HMs) were evaluated in the sediments of the two lakes: Upper Wadi El-Rayan Lake (UWRL) and Lower Wadi El-Rayan Lake (LWRL). Both are important wetlands in Egypt used as agricultural drainage water reservoirs for Fayoum province. As revealed by the texture of the sediments, the sand represented the major sediment portion of the UWRL, while the mud was dominant in the LWRL. According to ecological risk assessment, the sediments of the two lakes suffer different degrees of metal pollution, mainly Cd, Pb, and Ni. Based on sediment quality guidelines, toxicity indices indicated different potential toxic effects of the studied HMs on benthic-dwelling organisms, but Ni and Ba had the highest potential biological risk. Results also revealed that the area facing the El-Wadi Drain is the most polluted due to its proximity to the water drainage entrance. However, LWRL is generally more polluted than UWRL. This is related to the shrinkage of water volume and lake area; it causes an increase in the concentration of metals in water, and thus an increase in the sedimentation rate of these metals into the bottom.

Potential thyroid hormone disorder risks of tire antioxidants to aquatic food chain organisms after absorbing free radicals in marine and freshwater environments

Tire antioxidants are essential functional chemical additives in tire rubber production. Because of the characteristic easy precipitation in the water environment, the environmental pollution problem caused by tire antioxidants is concerning. To reveal the mechanism by which tire antioxidants reduce common oxidative factors (free radicals) in the environment and to control the potential biological thyroid hormone disorder risk of tire antioxidant derivatives, eight commonly used antioxidants in tire production were selected for analysis. Firstly, the ability of tire antioxidants to reduce three different free radicals was quantitatively characterized based on Gaussian calculation method and inferring the radical reduction mechanism of tire antioxidants. Moreover, using the PaDEL-Descriptor software and random forest algorithm found that the N-octanol/water partition coefficient, a structure descriptor of tire antioxidant molecules, significantly correlated with their reducing ability. Second, molecular docking and molecular dynamics methods were used to assess the thyroid hormone disorder risk to aquatic organisms of eight antioxidants after reducing three free radicals. And this is the first study to construct an assessment score list of potential thyroid hormone disorder risk of the derivatives of tire antioxidants after reducing free radicals to marine and freshwater aquatic organisms based on the risk entropy method. Through the screening of this list, it was found that the derivative of the antioxidant 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline oxidized by free radicals had the highest risk of thyroid hormone disorder. In addition, the top organism in the aquatic food chain was the most affected. This study also revealed that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding were the main influencing factors of thyroid hormone disorder risk to aquatic organisms of the derivatives of tire antioxidants that reduce free radicals based on amino acid residue analysis. Overall, the results provide theoretical support for the selection of antioxidants and the avoidance and control of environmental risks in the tire rubber production process.

PD45-04 TEMPERATURE EFFECT OF MOSES TM 2.0 DURING FLEXIBLE URETEROSCOPY: AN IN VITRO ASSESSMENT

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD45-04 TEMPERATURE EFFECT OF MOSESTM 2.0 DURING FLEXIBLE URETEROSCOPY: AN IN VITRO ASSESSMENT José Villena, Vicente Elorrieta, and José Salvadó José VillenaJosé Villena More articles by this author , Vicente ElorrietaVicente Elorrieta More articles by this author , and José SalvadóJosé Salvadó More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003358.04AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: One of the main issues related to the use of high-power lasers is the associated rise in temperature. The aim of this study was to characterize temperature variations with activation of the Moses 2.0 laser. METHODS: An in vitro experimental study was designed using a high-fidelity uretero-nephroscope simulation model to assess changes in temperature during intracorporeal laser lithotripsy. Renal and ureteral temperature records were obtained from the treatment of BegoStones positioned in the renal pelvis. Different laser settings over three time periods and two possible irrigation flow speeds were evaluated. We considered 43°C as the threshold since it is associated with denaturation of proteins. The Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was used to assess quantitative variables and the Kruskal–Wallis test for categorical variables. RESULTS: The highest increase in intrarenal temperature was reached with 30 s of laser activation at a laser setting of 0.5 J/100 Hz (50 W) and a flow of 10 mL/min. Only 15 s of activation was sufficient for most combinations of settings to exceed the threshold of 43°C. The ureteral temperature did not increase significantly, regardless of the combination of laser setting, time, or irrigation flow, except when 30 W was used for a 30 s period. Multivariate analysis showed that an irrigation flow of 20 mL/min produced an intrarenal temperature decrease of 4.7–9.2°C (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of high-power lasers, both for the ureter and kidney, should involve consideration of the temperature increases evidenced in this study, due to the potential biological risk entailed. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1163 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information José Villena More articles by this author Vicente Elorrieta More articles by this author José Salvadó More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Managing human activity and marine mammals: A biologically based, relativistic risk assessment framework

Presented here is a broadly applicable, transparent, repeatable analytical framework for assessing relative risk of anthropogenic disturbances on marine vertebrates, with the emphasis on the sound generating aspects of the activity. The objectives are to provide managers and action-proponents tools with which to objectively evaluate drivers of potential biological risk, to identify data gaps that limit assessment, and to identify actionable measures to reduce risk. Current regulatory assessments of how human activities (particularly those that produce sound) influence the likelihood of marine mammal behavioral responses and potential injury, rely principally on generalized characterizations of exposure and effect using simple, threshold-based criteria. While this is relatively straightforward in regulatory applications, this approach fails to adequately address realistic site and seasonal scenarios, other potential stressors, and scalable outcome probabilities. The risk assessment presented here is primarily based on a common and broad understanding of the spatial-temporal-spectral intersections of animals and anthropogenic activities, and specific examples of its application to hypothetical offshore wind farms are given. The resulting species- and activity-specific framework parses risk into two discrete factors: a population’s innate ‘vulnerability’ (potential degree of susceptibility to disturbance) and an ‘exposure index’ (magnitude-duration severity resulting from exposure to an activity). The classic intersection of these factors and their multi-dimensional components provides a relativistic risk assessment process for realistic evaluation of specified activity contexts, sites, and schedules, convolved with species-specific seasonal presence, behavioral-ecological context, and natural history. This process is inherently scalable, allowing a relativistic means of assessing potential disturbance scenarios, tunable to animal distribution, region, context, and degrees of spatial-temporal-spectral resolution.

Large-scale spatiotemporal variations, sources, and risk assessment of banned OCPs and PAHs in suspended particulate matter from the Negro river, Argentina

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) threaten the environment due to their wide environmental resistance. Environmental paradigms coexist along the Negro River (NR) in Argentina, South America, which flows to the sea below the latitude of 40o S; however, this is the first environmental assessment of OCPs and PAHs in water of the NR for more than 15 years. With 21 sampling sites covering a range of 600 km of river extension, we assessed 16 OCPs and 16 PAHs in suspended particulate material (SPM) with regard to their levels, seasonality, sources, and potential biological risk assessment. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection, we found an overall mean value for Σ16 OCPs of 648.56 ng. g−1, d.w. Despite a ban spanning 25 years, an increasing trend of accumulation of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and endosulfan was shown in the lower valley. The ɑ-HCH/ɤ-HCH and β-HCH/(ɑ + ɤ)-HCH ratios indicated a prevalent usage of technical HCH over lindane and recent HCH inputs. The most abundant compound, α-endosulfan, averaged 141.64 ng. g−1, d.w. and DDX (Σ 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDD, and 4,4′-DDT) averaged 99.98 ng. g−1, d.w. Winter OCP loads in the NR reflected the runoff of the heaviest pesticide application period. We estimated the total discharge of DDT into the Atlantic ocean was 96 g.day−1, added to 458 g of HCHs and 257 g of endosulfans (ɑ + β + epoxide) adsorbed by the SPM. PAHs occurred widely along the river (38.83 ± 43.52 μg. g−1) and the highest levels coincided with locations with marked anthropogenic-related activity, such as petroleum/gas exploitation facilities. Risk quotient analysis showed a low risk posed by OCPs, but a high risk of potential effects on biota posed by the PAHs, highlighting the need for mitigation measures.

Temperature effect of Moses™ 2.0 during flexible ureteroscopy: an in vitro assessment.

One of the main issues related to the use of high-power lasers is the associated rise in temperature. The aim of this study was to characterize temperature variations with activation of the Moses™ 2.0 laser. An in vitro experimental study was designed using a high-fidelity uretero-nephroscope simulation model to assess changes in temperature during intracorporeal laser lithotripsy. Renal and ureteral temperature records were obtained from the treatment of BegoStones positioned in the renal pelvis. Different laser settings over three time periods and two possible irrigation flow speeds were evaluated. We considered 43°C as the threshold since it is associated with denaturation of proteins. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to assess quantitative variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for categorical variables. The highest increase in intrarenal temperature was reached with 30 seconds of laser activation at a laser setting of 0.5 J/100 Hz (50 W) and a flow of 10 mL/min. Only 15 seconds of activation was sufficient for most settings to exceed 43°C. The ureteral temperature did not increase significantly, regardless of the combination of laser setting, time, or irrigation flow, except when 30 W was used for a 30 second period. Multivariate analysis showed that an irrigation flow of 20 mL/min produced an intrarenal temperature decrease of 4.7-9.2°C (p <0.001). Use of high-power lasers, both for the ureter and kidney, should involve consideration of temperature increases evidenced in this study, due to the potential biological risk entailed.

Are Neurotrophin Genes Involved in the Pathophysiology of Gambling Disorder?

IntroductionGambling Disorder (GD) is considered a multifactorial behavioral addictive disorder, leading to severe psychological, social and economic consequences. Previous studies have investigated genetic mechanisms underlying GD. Growing literature showed a possible link between addiction-related disorders and neurotrophic factors (NTF), involved in synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. Thus, the study of NTF genes emerged as promising targets in the field of GD.ObjectivesTo evaluate genetic implications of the NTF family in the pathophysiology GD. We hypothesized the involvement of some NTF genes polymorphisms in the onset and progression of GD as potential biological risk factors.MethodsThe sample was composed by 166 individuals with GD and 191 healthy controls. 36 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from NTF (NGF, NGFR, NTRK1, BDNF, NTRK2, NTF3, NTRK3, NTF4, CNTF and CNTFR) were selected and genotyped. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype constructions were assessed, related to the presence of GD. Moreover, regulatory elements overlapping the identified SNPs variants associated with GD was also analyzed.Results6 SNPs were potentially associated to GD after the comparisons of allele frequencies between groups. Single and multiple-marker analyses showed a strong association between both NTF3 and NTRK2 genes, and GD.ConclusionsThis study suggests the implication of NTF genes in the development of GD, being the altered cross-regulation of some NTF factors signalling pathways, a potential biological vulnerability factor in GD. Fundings and Acknowledgements: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (RTI2018-101837-B-100) Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (2017I067, 2019I47), Instituto Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (PI17/01167, PI20/00132) and CIBERObn, an initiative of ISCIII.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Occupational Risks for Anaesthesiologists and Precautions.

Anaesthesiology is an extremely stressful and risky branch of medicine. New techniques, new procedures, and innovations in anaesthesia increase the responsibilities and obligations of anaesthesiologists day by day. Operating rooms and intensive care units, which are the working environment of anaesthesiologists, are considered to be an unhealthy workplace. Anaesthesiologists are exposed to various potential physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial risk factors and hazards in their work environments. The occupational risks anaesthesiologists are exposed to threaten their health and may cause their professional performance to decline. This article aimed to raise awareness about the occupational risks, hazards, and precautions in anaesthesiology practice.

Occurrence and spatio-seasonal distribution of organophosphate tri- and di-esters in surface water from Dongting Lake and their potential biological risk

In this study, 24 surface water samples were collected from Dongting Lake, China, in the wet and dry seasons, then the concentrations, composition profiles and spatio-seasonal variations of nine organophosphate triesters (OPEs) and five organophosphate diesters (Di-OPs) were determined. Significantly higher total OPE concentrations (∑OPEs) were observed in the wet season (49.5–148 ng L−1) than in the dry season (5.00–45.7 ng L−1) suggesting higher input via tributaries discharge as well as wet deposition in the studied region. Whereas lower levels of TnBP and (triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) in wet season reflected their possible degradation under solar irradiation. Comparable levels of total Di-OPs (∑Di-OPs) were found in the wet season (3.41–13.9 ng L−1) and dry season (1.01–12.3 ng L−1). Tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate and tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate were the main OPE components, while diphenyl phosphate, di-n-butyl phosphate and bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate were the main Di-OP components. High levels of OPEs and Di-OPs were found in Datong Lake suggesting possible local emissions potentially related to fishery activity in the land-locked lake. Samples at river mouths to the lake also have higher levels of target OPEs and Di-OPs, the results disclosed obvious discharges from tributaries in Hunan Province. Negligible non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were determined based on the measured concentrations in source waters. A limited ecological risk aquatic organisms in the Dongting Lake was identified, with most risk from TPHP.

Investigation on the adsorption and desorption behaviors of heavy metals by tire wear particles with or without UV ageing processes

In recent years, tire wear particles (TWP), as the significant proportion of microplastics (MPs), has adsorbed much attention due to its widespread presence in aquatic ecosystem. Compared with typical MPs, TWP exists significant differences in composition, additives, characteristics and so on. With TWP and polypropylene (PP) as target MPs, Cd2+ and Pb2+ as target pollutants, the adsorption-desorption characteristics of heavy metal ions on original and aged MPs were studied. Compare with the PP, the SBET of TWP increased more significantly after the UV ageing process. Meanwhile, the zeta potential of TWP increased from −8.01 to −14.6 mV and PP from −5.36 to −9.52 mV, and the surface of the TWP were more negatively-charged. In addition, the hydrophilicity of MPs enhanced due to the increased oxygen-containing functional groups after ageing process. Compared with PP, the physicochemical properties of TWP changed more obviously during UV ageing processes. The adsorption results showed that the pseudo-second-order model could better describe the adsorption processes of Cd2+ and Pb2+ on MPs. Meanwhile, the orders of adsorption capacity of MPs for Cd2+ and Pb2+ were aged TWP > aged PP > original TWP > original PP. The phenomenon of adsorption confirmed that TWP had better vector effects for heavy metal ions than PP, and the ageing processes could enhance the adsorption capacity of MPs. Moreover, the desorption results demonstrated that, compared with PP, the TWP (with higher adsorption capacity) also had the better desorption capacity for heavy metal ions in simulated gastric fluid. Compared with PP, the TWP might cause a more serious hazard to aquatic environment and organisms. These investigations would contribute to assessing the potential environmental and biological risk of TWP, especially considering the effect of the ageing process.

Antibody detection and molecular analysis for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in goat milk: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Paratuberculosis is an incurable infectious disease that affects several species, including goat (Capra hircus). The etiologic agent is Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) that has tropism for the intestine, causing anorexia, progressive weight loss and death. In goats, the main transmission route is the ingestion of water and food contaminated by infected feces. Affected animals also eliminate the agent through milk, with a potential biological risk to public health. Thus, the aim of this study was to conduct a research of the literature available in electronic media for a systematic review, followed by a meta-analysis of the results found on prevalence and diagnostic tests adopted in the detection of MAP antibodies and DNA in goat milk. The following search parameters were used: “Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis” AND (goat OR small ruminant) AND (milk OR pasteurized milk). Strictly obeying pre-established criteria, 437 articles were selected from the respective electronic databases of scientific content: ScienceDirect (285), PubMed (68), Web of Science (60) and Scopus (24), of which nine papers were elected to the construction of the systematic review and meta-analysis. The prevalence of MAP antibodies in milk detected by milk-ELISA ranged from 1.1 to 67.7% and the prevalence of MAP DNA in goat milk detected by MAP-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ranged from 1.94 to 37.74%. A meta-analysis indicated a combined MAP infection prevalence of 8.24%, but with high heterogeneity among study findings (I2 = 98.7%). The identification of the MAP in goat milk implies the need for surveillance of the agent in order to prevent economic losses and impact on public health.

Criteria for classification and destination of healthcare wastes with potential biological risk: comparison between Brazil and Portugal

Healthcare wastes (HCW) have potential sources of disease spread, however, only a small fraction presents a high potential risk. It is important for the scientific community to discuss topics about these risks. This study aims to evaluate the classification and destination of HCW in Brazil and in Portugal, with a particular focus on infectious wastes. A bibliographical research was carried out based on scientific papers and legal instruments about HCW management. Wastes with lower infectious hazard, A4 subgroup in Brazil, do not require previous treatment before final disposal. In Portugal, differences in classification system suggested that the Brazilian A4 subgroup is comparable with some wastes from patient's rooms and health assistance areas, considered as high risk. These differences influence the management system, particularly in relation to infectious waste. Both Brazilian and Portuguese standards recommend safety during the management process, aiming at the protection involved workers.

Criteria for classification and destination of healthcare wastes with potential biological risk: comparison between Brazil and Portugal

Healthcare wastes (HCW) have potential sources of disease spread, however, only a small fraction presents a high potential risk. It is important for the scientific community to discuss topics about these risks. This study aims to evaluate the classification and destination of HCW in Brazil and in Portugal, with a particular focus on infectious wastes. A bibliographical research was carried out based on scientific papers and legal instruments about HCW management. Wastes with lower infectious hazard, A4 subgroup in Brazil, do not require previous treatment before final disposal. In Portugal, differences in classification system suggested that the Brazilian A4 subgroup is comparable with some wastes from patient's rooms and health assistance areas, considered as high risk. These differences influence the management system, particularly in relation to infectious waste. Both Brazilian and Portuguese standards recommend safety during the management process, aiming at the protection involved workers.

Seasonal and spatial variations in elemental distributions in surface sediments of Chilika Lake in response to change in salinity and grain size distribution

Chilika lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, has a unique setting, where the north-eastern part receives freshwater from the terrestrial runoff, and the south-eastern part receives seawater from the Bay of Bengal. The seasonal variability in the quantity of inflowing water and their mixing in the lake controls the mobilization and precipitation of various elements. Seasonal sediment samples were collected from both the river and seawater influenced regions of the lake to understand the spatio-seasonal distributions of various elements along the salinity gradient. The major elements present in the sediments are mostly derived from the parent rock weathering in the source region and subsequently transported into the lake by the rivers. Seasonal variations in trace element concentrations are more prominent in the north-eastern part of the lake (i.e., low salinity region), and their higher concentrations have been observed during the post-rainy period. The affinity of the elements (Al, Fe, Mn, Li, V, Co, Cr, Cu, Th, and Zn) towards fine-grain sediments suggests that the size distribution pattern controls their accumulation, retention, and remobilization. The concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Pb exceeded the effects range low, and effects range median benchmarks indicating the potential biological risk in the low salinity region as compared to the high salinity region. The statistical analysis indicated that the concentrations of elements in the region proximal to the sea mouth are controlled by grain size and physicochemical condition of the lake water. In contrast, the element concentrations in the interior region are associated with anthropogenic activities and weathering processes. Continuous monitoring and assessment of element concentrations of the lake sediments can help to protect the lake ecology from the harmful element contaminations.

App “bioritmo”: sviluppo di un applicativo per la valutazione del rischio biologico

The Prevention and Protection Service of the University Federico II of Naples, in order to determine the level ofbiological risk for all the exposure scenarios associated with the various university activities, has chosen the risk assessment method developed by ISPRA and published with the ISPRA Manual and Guidelines n. 93/2013: “Criteri edindirizzi per la tutela della salute e sicurezza in tema di valutazione del Rischio Biologico nelle attività istituzionalidelle Agenzie per la Prevenzione dell’Ambiente”. The application called “App.Bioritmo” was developed in order toeasily retrieve the information necessary for the management of biological risk and automate the calculation providedby the algorithm developed by ISPRA. This application incorporates the criteria of the chosen method and implements the flows and the evaluation contents, taking into account the needs connected to the peculiarities of universityactivities with deliberate and potential biological risk, including those that involve the manipulation of GeneticallyModified Microorganisms (GMOs).

App “bioritmo”: sviluppo di un applicativo per la valutazione del rischio biologico

The Prevention and Protection Service of the University Federico II of Naples, in order to determine the level of biological risk for all the exposure scenarios associated with the various university activities, has chosen the risk assessment method developed by ISPRA and published with the ISPRA Manual and Guidelines n. 93/2013: “Criteri ed indirizzi per la tutela della salute e sicurezza in tema di valutazione del Rischio Biologico nelle attività istituzionali delle Agenzie per la Prevenzione dell’Ambiente”. The application called “App.Bioritmo” was developed in order to easily retrieve the information necessary for the management of biological risk and automate the calculation provided by the algorithm developed by ISPRA. This application incorporates the criteria of the chosen method and implements the flows and the evaluation contents, taking into account the needs connected to the peculiarities of university activities with deliberate and potential biological risk, including those that involve the manipulation of Genetically Modified Microorganisms (GMOs).