Potential Mitigation Strategies Research Articles

Enteric pathogen survival, food safety incidents, and potential mitigation strategies to address microbial contamination in wheat-based foods: a review.

Wheat-based foods has emerged as another potential vehicle for foodborne illness in humans. The recent occurrence of recalls involving wheat-based foods requires a full understanding of how these pathogens thrive in these food products and developing potential intervention strategies to address pathogen contamination. This manuscript is the second of a two-part review covering the status of the food safety of wheat-based products. In this manuscript, available information on the survival of enteric foodborne pathogens, food safety issues, and potential pathogen reduction steps on wheat-based foods were reviewed. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Salmonella are capable of surviving in wheat flours and grains for extended periods (≤ 2 years). Based on the food safety issues linked to wheat flour, the main enteric pathogens of concern are STEC (O157, O121, O26, and O103) and Salmonella. Diverse interventions such as tempering treatments, thermal treatments, and non-thermal technologies all effectively reduced the pathogenic loads of wheat grains and wheat flours (2 to 6 log CFU/g reduction). Addressing pathogen contamination of wheat-based foods is a major concern for the milling industry. Future studies could be focused on improving pathogen reduction performance and validating their effects against diverse product and process conditions.

Inhalational anaesthetic agent consumption within a multidisciplinary veterinary teaching hospital: an environmental audit

Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36 L of isoflurane and 1.27 L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489 h. Consumption rates varied among species, with small and farm animals ranging between 8.7 and 13 mL/h, while equine anaesthesia exhibited a higher rate, 41.2 mL/h. Corresponding to 7.36 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in total environmental emissions or between 2.4 and 31.3 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per hour. Comparison to human anaesthesia settings showed comparable consumption rates to small animals, suggesting shared environmental implications, albeit on a smaller scale. This research highlights the importance of continued evaluation of veterinary anaesthesia practices to balance patient safety with environmental stewardship; potential mitigation strategies are explored and discussed.

Betaine and feed restriction as potential mitigation strategies against heat stress in two strains of laying hens

Climate change is increasingly manifesting in temperate regions. Laying hens are highly sensitive to heat stress and mitigation strategies should be implemented to reduce the negative effects. The goal of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of betaine in drinking water (0.55 g/L) and 4 h feed restriction during peak heat stress on laying performance, egg quality, blood gas parameters, body temperature (Tb), and oxidative stress in 2 different breeds of laying hens. Therefore, 448 ISA Brown hens (25 wk) and 448 Lohmann LSL classic laying hens (26 wk) were housed in 128 cages (7 hens/cage). Thermoneutral (TN) data was collected for 21 d before cyclic heat stress (HS) (21d; 32 ± 2°C; 6 h daily). During HS, hens were divided into 4 treatments: 1) feed restriction (FR), 2) betaine supplementation in drinking water (BET), 3) feed restriction and betaine supplementation in drinking water (FR-BET), or 4) control (CON). The effects were evaluated after 1 wk of HS (acute heat stress; AHS) and 3 wk of HS (chronic heat stress; CHS). Laying rate and egg mass (EM) diminished during CHS but decreased more in white than brown hens (2.78% and 1.94%; -1.57% and -0.81%, respectively; P = 0.004) and remained unaltered by BET or FR. During AHS, average daily feed intake (ADFI) increased compared to TN, but the increase was higher in white than brown hens (6.36% and 2.62%, respectively; P = 0.001). Egg shell quality deteriorated during AHS and CHS, but was most affected in white hens, FR or BET did not impact this. Blood pCO2, HCO3- and base excess significantly decreased during AHS and CHS, but pH and iCa were unaltered. Blood glucose increased in white hens during AHS compared to TN (P < 0.001), while plasma malondialdehyde increased in brown hens (P < 0.001). Results indicated that laying hens experienced HS, but breed differences were observed and white hens were generally most affected. FR affected feed conversion ratio negatively during CHS. However, FR and BET could not improve laying performance, egg quality, Tb, or blood parameters during HS.

Food process contaminants: formation, occurrence, risk assessment and mitigation strategies - a review.

Thermal treatment of food can lead to the formation of potentially harmful chemicals, known as process contaminants. These are adventitious contaminants that are formed in food during processing and preparation. Various food processing techniques, such as heating, drying, grilling, and fermentation, can generate hazardous chemicals such as acrylamide (AA), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), furan, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), monochloropropane diols (MCPD) and their esters (MCPDE) which can be detrimental to human health. Despite efforts to prevent the formation of these compounds during processing, eliminating them is often challenging due to their unknown formation mechanisms. It is critical to identify the potential harm to human health in processed food and understand the mechanisms by which harmful compounds form during processing, as prolonged exposure to these toxic compounds can lead to health problems. Various mitigation strategies, such as the use of diverse pre- and post-processing treatments, product reformulation, additives, variable process conditions, and novel integrated processing techniques, have been proposed to control these food hazards. In this review, we summarize the formation and occurrence, the potential for harm to human health produced by process contaminants in food, and potential mitigation strategies to minimize their impact.

Trends of air pollution variations during pre-Diwali, Diwali and post-Diwali periods and health risk assessment using HAQI in India

During 2019 to 2022, a comprehensive study was conducted across 71 stations spanning over 15 states in India to investigate air quality variations during the pre-Diwali, Diwali, and post-Diwali periods. The investigation, centred on the extensive use of firecrackers during festive times, revealed a short-term deterioration in air quality with long-lasting impacts. PM2.5 and PM10 levels were found to significantly increase during Diwali and the post-Diwali period compared to the pre-Diwali period. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 experience respective increases of 44.66% and 11.03%, 29.12% and 05.41%, 52.63% and 23.38%, and 39.65% and 17.61% during Diwali period from 2019 to 2022, where 68.84% and 34.32%, 44.42% and 29.42%, and 48.70% and 25.22% in 2019, 2021 and 2022 in post-Diwali period compared to the pre-Diwali. The Mann–Kendall and Sen's slope analyses reveal statistically significant positive trends (increasing) in both PM10 and PM2.5 levels during the Diwali festival period. Notably, the study introduced the Health Hazard-based Air Quality Index (HAQI), which demonstrated higher values than the National Ambient Air Quality Index (NAAQI). Unlike NAAQI, which considers individual pollutant sub-index values, and considered highest one of sub-index values in AQI analysis. HAQI provides a more comprehensive assessment of health risks associated with exposure to multiple pollutants effects. In 2022, AQI and HAQI values during pre-Diwali were 114 and 146.18, during Diwali were 173 and 332.18, and post-Diwali were 191 and 414.14, respectively. These findings underscore the elevated risk during Diwali and the post-Diwali period due to heightened pollution levels, emphasizing the need for public awareness and potential mitigation strategies. The study calls attention to the importance of considering cumulative health impacts and suggests the adoption of HAQI for more informative air quality assessments.

A Desert Mirage, Myth of Detroit’s Food Desert

This piece challenges the contemporary view of the city of Detroit as a “food desert”. Despite a low number of traditional supermarkets, the city of Detroit has developed a unique web of food networks. Only 10% of Detroit qualifies as a food desert, considering these alternative modes of food viability. However, these initiatives often go unnoticed, perpetuating misconceptions and biases against the city and its residents. Detroit’s relationship with food access is much more nuanced, as the city faces food insecurity along more racial lines. Although alternative food networks contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Detroit's food access, the issue of food security persists in various pockets of the city. Communities that experience food insecurity within the city are most often occupied by minority groups. The piece highlights the unresolved issues of Detroit's issue of food security, as many of the city’s minority communities struggle with food insecurity related to a turbulent past of racism and xenophobia. This paper will examine the disparity in the city’s food security as well as the resulting health burden incurred by the city. Additionally, this paper will examine potential mitigation strategies in addressing this issues. Ultimately, this paper will determine the history and current status of Detroit's food insecurity, how it affects the city's residents, and potential strategies to mitigate any disparities in food security.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy and Postoperative Digestive Fistula

The pivotal role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in enhancing the management of gastrointestinal cancers is incontrovertible. However, their implications for surgical outcomes, particularly the risk of postoperative anastomotic fistulas, necessitate comprehensive analysis. This review examines the intricate relationship between neoadjuvant treatments and anastomotic fistula formation across a spectrum of gastrointestinal cancers, integrating findings from diverse clinical studies to elucidate risk factors and potential mitigation strategies. The timing and duration of neoadjuvant therapy emerge as critical considerations, with evidence suggesting that optimized intervals between therapy completion and surgical intervention may significantly influence fistula risk. Furthermore, patient-specific factors, including underlying health conditions and tumor characteristics, are highlighted as influential in determining fistula susceptibility. Through synthesizing current research, this review aims to guide clinical decision-making by providing insights into the balancing act of maximizing oncological efficacy while minimizing surgical complications. Future directions call for tailored treatment approaches, incorporating individual risk profiles and emerging therapeutic modalities to enhance patient outcomes in the neoadjuvant setting.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy and Postoperative Digestive Fistula

The pivotal role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy in enhancing the management of gastrointestinal cancers is incontrovertible. However, their implications for surgical outcomes, particularly the risk of postoperative anastomotic fistulas, necessitate comprehensive analysis. This review examines the intricate relationship between neoadjuvant treatments and anastomotic fistula formation across a spectrum of gastrointestinal cancers, integrating findings from diverse clinical studies to elucidate risk factors and potential mitigation strategies. The timing and duration of neoadjuvant therapy emerge as critical considerations, with evidence suggesting that optimized intervals between therapy completion and surgical intervention may significantly influence fistula risk. Furthermore, patient-specific factors, including underlying health conditions and tumor characteristics, are highlighted as influential in determining fistula susceptibility. Through synthesizing current research, this review aims to guide clinical decision-making by providing insights into the balancing act of maximizing oncological efficacy while minimizing surgical complications. Future directions call for tailored treatment approaches, incorporating individual risk profiles and emerging therapeutic modalities to enhance patient outcomes in the neoadjuvant setting.

Analysing the Impact of Attacks and Vandalism on Nigerian Electricity Transmission Lines: Causes, Consequences, and Mitigation Strategies

This study meticulously examines the impacts of attacks and vandalism on Nigerian electricity transmission lines, analysing their causes, consequences, and potential mitigation strategies. Historical data reveals that socio- economic and political factors are the root causes of these destructive acts, including insurgencies and economic desperation. Recent trends show an alarming increase in the frequency and sophistication of such attacks, primarily using explosives, which pose a significant challenge to the Nigerian electricity sector. The geographical distribution of these incidents is a cause for concern, with a concentration in the Northeast and North-Central regions directly correlating with regional instability. The severe economic and social impacts are leading to prolonged power outages, substantial financial losses, and public dissatisfaction. This paper underscores the potential of a multi-faceted approach, including enhanced security measures, community engagement, and strategic policy reforms, to protect vital infrastructure and ensure a stable electricity supply. The research findings are a call to action for policymakers and stakeholders, providing a solid foundation for enhancing the resilience and reliability of Nigeria's power transmission system. Our collective responsibility is to act on these findings and contribute to the solution.

A new insight into the mechanism of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane-induced hepatotoxicity based on GSDME-mediated pyroptosis

There have been persistent concerns about the safety risks associated with DDT residues in the environment. Studies have shown that exposure to DDT or its metabolites can cause various liver diseases. However, the mechanisms of liver toxicity haven't been well studied. In our current investigation, we observed that DDT triggers pyroptosis in human liver cells (HL-7702), representing a novel form of programmed cell death. Our results delineated DDT (0–100 μM) induced pyroptosis in HL-7702 cells, which was confirmed through morphological changes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, gasdermin E (GSDME) cleavage and Annexin-V/PI staining. Knockdown of GSDME reduced cell death and transferred the mode of cell death from pyroptosis to apoptosis. Notably, DDT exposure markedly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, concurrent with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation. Intervention with a ROS inhibitor or JNK inhibitor SP600125 restored cell viability and hindered GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Our results firstly demonstrate that DDT suppresses HL-7702 cells growth by inducing pyroptosis mainly through the ROS/JNK/GSDME pathway. These findings not only contribute to an in-depth understanding of DDT toxicity but also open avenues for gaining valuable insights into potential mitigation strategies and therapeutic interventions.

The Financial Crisis Affecting the Construction Sector

Today's world is witnessing continuous development, particularly in the construction sector, which is meeting the rising population and their need for essential facilities; this is one of the reasons why construction is witnessing such development. Different crises significantly affect this sector, including the financial crisis in different countries. This paper identifies the financial crises, their categories, and the reasons for appearing them. Inflation, currency exchange fluctuations, and the drop in global oil prices are the most important reasons for the emergence of external financial crises, especially in Iraq, which considers oil an important economic resource for its budget. The unexpected global financial events led to an economic collapse that affected the construction sector. Many large projects in Iraq have been put on hold as a result of these conditions due to the country's lack of resources to address these crises. This paper aims to study and identify potential crises and potential responses and mitigation strategies for each crisis stage.

Investigation on synergistic inhibition of protein-bound heterocyclic amines in sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar model systems by amino acid combinations

The inhibition of amino acids on the formation of protein-bound HAs was assessed in both model systems and roast beef patties, and the synergism between these amino acids was also investigated. The amino acids can promote the formation of protein-bound HAs at low addition amount, and the total content of protein-bound HAs increased from 444.05 ± 4.98 ng/g of the control group to 517.36 ± 16.51 ng/g when 0.05 % cysteine was added. Amino acid combinations exhibited stable inhibitory effects, with the maximum inhibitory rate of 64 % in the treatment with histidine-proline combination (1:4). The synergistic inhibition may be caused by simultaneously scavenging intermediates and competing for the binding sites of muscle proteins, and the reaction with protein-bound HAs to form adduct can serve as supporting factors to co-mitigate the promotion in protein-bound HAs from increased protein solubility. These findings proposed the potential mitigation strategies against protein-bound HAs formation

Law enforcement officer naturalistic decision-making in high-stress conditions

PurposeThis exploratory study aimed to investigate law enforcement officers’ decision-making processes in high-stress scenarios, exploring variations based on experience and how cognitive demands influence officer decision-making processes.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a naturalistic decision-making approach and macrocognitive framework, the study utilizes scenario-based virtual reality simulations and qualitative interviews to examine the decision-making processes of law enforcement officers in high-stress policing contexts.FindingsThematic coding of interview data from twelve LEOs immediately following a high-stress virtual reality task revealed differences in decision-making processes and cognitive demands between novice and expert officers. Findings also revealed differences in the type of cognitive demands experienced by officers at key points in the simulated scenario.Originality/valueThe authors offer theoretical and practical contributions toward an increased understanding of officer decision-making, factors and conditions that impact LEO decisions and potential mitigation strategies that law enforcement organizations may leverage to improve officer decision-making in high-stress contexts.

Unlocking the Potential: Synergizing IoT, Cloud Computing, and Big Data for a Bright Future

The convergence and integration of the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing (CC), and Big Data (BD) offer huge potential for transformative progress that will support the massive industrial revolution that is so prevalent in today’s digital landscape. This prompts an exploration of the synergies among these three domains and investigates how their integration can unlock new opportunities for a brighter future. This integration seamlessly connects billions of IoT devices, leverages the potential of CC, and efficiently manages vast datasets generated by these devices. The amalgamation of BD analytics with IoT and CC empowers organizations to extract invaluable insights, foster data-driven decision-making, and fuel innovation across diverse industries. Nevertheless, the incorporation of these systems also gives rise to notable difficulties, encompassing issues such as data protection, worries about privacy, the ability to scale, and the management of data. The paper delves into these challenges, explores strategies, and examines the hurdles and best practices to address them effectively through a comprehensive examination of the potential benefits, challenges, and mitigation strategies. In addition, this paper offers insights into how synergizing IoT, CC, and BD can pave the way for a brighter, more promising future in technology and society.

Emerging Role of Environmental Epitranscriptomics and RNA Modifications in Parkinson's Disease.

Environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions play a critical role in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relatively large contribution of environmental risk factors in the overwhelming majority of PD cases has been widely neglected in the field. A "PD prevention agenda" proposed in this journal laid out a set of research priorities focused on preventing PD through modification of environmental risk factors. This agenda includes a call for preclinical studies to employ new high-throughput methods for analyzing transcriptomics and epigenomics to provide a deeper understanding of the effects of exposures linked to PD. Here, we focus on epitranscriptomics as a novel area of research with the potential to add to our understanding of the interplay between genes and environmental exposures in PD. Both epigenetics and epitranscriptomics have been recognized as potential mediators of the complex relationship between genes, environment, and disease. Multiple studies have identified epigenetic alterations, such as DNA methylation, associated with PD and PD-related exposures in human studies and preclinical models. In addition, recent technological advancements have made it possible to study epitranscriptomic RNA modifications, such as RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A), and a handful of recent studies have begun to explore epitranscriptomics in PD-relevant exposure models. Continued exploration of epitranscriptomic mechanisms in environmentally relevant PD models offers the opportunity to identify biomarkers, pre-degenerative changes that precede symptom onset, and potential mitigation strategies for disease prevention and treatment.

Multi-Temporal Analysis of Urban Heat Island Phenomenon Distribution in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (2018-2022) Using ArcGIS Story Map

Abstract Rapid urban development in the Special Region of Yogyakarta over the last 5 years has resulted in significant temperature variations, impacting urban areas. The study, presented through a Story Map, focuses on the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, showcasing temperature changes from 2018 to 2022. Despite a general decline of around 1°C during this period, the year 2022 witnessed a notable 4°C increase in urban temperatures. The dynamics of urbanization, coupled with land use alterations, contribute to the fluctuating surface temperatures. The Story Map serves as a comprehensive medium, incorporating multimedia elements to effectively communicate these variations, the contributing factors, and potential mitigation strategies. The Special Region of Yogyakarta’s urbanization has led to a transformation of its design into a metropolitan area, resulting in increased land conversion and demand for residential purposes. The UHI phenomenon is influenced by factors such as changes in land use, building materials, and human activities. The narrative map provides detailed insights into the temperature changes, emphasizing the significance of addressing UHI in regional and spatial planning. It highlights practical measures like tree planting initiatives and sustainable development planning to mitigate the impact of elevated temperatures. The Story Map, designed to be accessible to a broad audience, serves as a valuable reference for government and planning agencies, encouraging informed decision-making to address the challenges associated with urban climate phenomena in the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

Investigating the barriers and mitigation strategies for biogas adoption in a developing economy: A multi-stakeholder networks perspective

Biogas production is one of the sustainable solutions for tackling organic waste and addressing serious environmental issues. In developing nations, however, stakeholders such as farmers, biogas plant owners, project developers, and investors continue to face diverse challenges in biogas production. Research on potential mitigation strategies to address the complex challenges in biogas adoption in the developing countries context is also scarce. Accordingly, we adopted a multi-stakeholder networks perspective to investigate the barriers and potential strategies for biogas adoption in Pakistan. To this end, we conducted twelve semi-structured interviews with energy consultants and environmental experts working in the biogas industry. Building on the multi-stakeholder networks perspective, the findings contribute to the existing literature by critically analyzing diverse barriers such as the interference of farmer unions, fear of project failure, mindset issues of stakeholders, dependence on a few feedstock suppliers, and lack of policy safeguards for investors. Further, the findings provide in-depth insights into mitigation strategies such as engagement with local communities, proactive biogas policies and best practices in developed and developing economies, cost-benefit analysis of biogas production, close monitoring of the upstream supply chain activities in the biogas industry, incentivizing the segregation of municipal solid waste, and collaboration between industry and academia, which are lacking in the current literature. We argue that rich insights from the present study could facilitate practitioners, stakeholders, and policymakers in advancing sustainable biogas policies and regulatory frameworks, promoting alternative feedstock options, improving stakeholder collaboration, initiating biogas awareness programs, and effectively managing biogas supply chain operations.

Analyzing Potential Failures and Effects in a Pilot-Scale Biomass Preprocessing Facility for Improved Reliability

This study demonstrates a failure identification methodology applied to a preprocessing facility generating conversion-ready feedstocks from biomass meeting conversion process critical quality attribute (CQA) specifications. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was used as an industrially relevant risk analysis approach to evaluate a logging residue preprocessing system to prepare feedstock for pyrolysis conversion. Risk evaluations considered both system-level and operation unit-level assessments considering process efficiency, product quality, cost, sustainability, and safety. Key outputs included estimations of semi-quantitative risk scores for each failure, identification of the failure impacts, identification of failure causes associated with material attributes and process parameters, ranking success rates of failure detection methods, and speculation of potential mitigation strategies for decreasing failure risk scores. Results showed that deviations from moisture specifications had cascading consequences for other CQAs along with process safety implications. Failures linked to fixed carbon specifications carried the highest risk scores for product quality and process efficiency impacts. As increased throughput can be inversely related to meeting product quality specifications; achieving throughput and other material-based CQAs simultaneously will likely require system optimization or prioritization based on system economics. Ultimately, this work successfully demonstrates FMEA as a risk analysis approach for other bioenergy process systems.

Where's Whaledo: A software toolkit for array localization of animal vocalizations.

Where's Whaledo is a software toolkit that uses a combination of automated processes and user interfaces to greatly accelerate the process of reconstructing animal tracks from arrays of passive acoustic recording devices. Passive acoustic localization is a non-invasive yet powerful way to contribute to species conservation. By tracking animals through their acoustic signals, important information on diving patterns, movement behavior, habitat use, and feeding dynamics can be obtained. This method is useful for helping to understand habitat use, observe behavioral responses to noise, and develop potential mitigation strategies. Animal tracking using passive acoustic localization requires an acoustic array to detect signals of interest, associate detections on various receivers, and estimate the most likely source location by using the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of sounds on multiple receivers. Where's Whaledo combines data from two small-aperture volumetric arrays and a variable number of individual receivers. In a case study conducted in the Tanner Basin off Southern California, we demonstrate the effectiveness of Where's Whaledo in localizing groups of Ziphius cavirostris. We reconstruct the tracks of six individual animals vocalizing concurrently and identify Ziphius cavirostris tracks despite being obscured by a large pod of vocalizing dolphins.

Toxicity of microplastics in fish: A short review

Microplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern globally, attracting significant attention due to its potential impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This short review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research conducted on microplastic pollution in fish, focusing on its occurrence, sources, impacts, and potential mitigation strategies. By analyzing existing studies, this review highlights the urgent need for continued research and increased awareness to address this persistent issue.