Occupational exposure to diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione

This criteria document is derived from the NIOSH evaluation of critical health effects studies of occupational exposure to diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. It provides recommendations for controlling workplace exposures including recommended exposure limits derived by using current quantitative risk assessment methodology on human and animal health effects data. Using cross-sectional pulmonary function data from diacetyl-exposed employees, NIOSH conducted assessments to determine the exposure-response relationship and to identify risk of pulmonary function decrease at various levels of diacetyl exposure. NIOSH found that a relationship exists between diacetyl exposures and lower pulmonary function. Utilizing this analysis, NIOSH recommends keeping exposure to diacetyl below a concentration of 5 parts per billion as a time-weighted average during a 40-hour work week. To further protect against effects of short-term exposures, NIOSH recommends a short-term exposure limit for diacetyl of 25 parts per billion for a 15-minute time period. In many operations, 2,3-pentanedione is being used to substitute for diacetyl. Published toxicological studies indicate that 2,3-pentanedione exposure can cause damage similar to that caused by diacetyl in laboratory studies. Therefore, NIOSH recommends keeping occupational exposure to 2,3-pentanedione below a level comparable to the level recommended for diacetyl. However, the recommended sampling and analytical method can only reliably quantify it to 9.3 parts per billion in an 8-hour sample. NIOSH also recommends a short-term exposure limit for 2,3-pentanedione of 31 parts per billion during a 15-minute period. Engineering and work practices are available to control diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione exposures below the recommended exposure limits. A hierarchy of controls including elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and the use of personal protective equipment should be followed to control workplace exposures. NIOSH urges employers to disseminate this information to employees and customers. NIOSH also requests that professional and trade associations and labor organizations inform their members about the hazards of occupational exposure to these flavoring compounds. NIOSH appreciates the time and effort of the expert peer, stakeholder, and public reviewers whose comments and input strengthened this document.Suggested citation: NIOSH [2016]. Criteria for a recommended standard: occupational exposure to diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. By McKernan LT, Niemeier RT, Kreiss K, Hubbs A, Park R, Dankovic D, Dunn KH, Parker J, Fedan K, Streicher R, Fedan J, Garcia A, Whittaker C, Gilbert S, Nourian F, Galloway E, Smith R, Lentz TJ, Hirst D, Topmiller J, Curwin B. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2016-111.NIOSH No 200488541. Introduction -- 2. Assessing Occupational Exposure in Employees -- 3. Effects of Exposure in Employees -- 4. Toxicology of Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione -- 5. Quantitative Risk Assessment Based on Employee Data -- 6. Quantitative Risk Assessment Based on Animal Data -- 7. Basis of the Recommended Standards for Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione -- 8. Hazard Prevention and Control of Exposures to Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione -- 9. Medical Monitoring and Surveillance of Exposed Employees -- 10. Exposure Monitoring in Occupational Safety and Health Programs -- 11. Research Needs -- Appendix A. OSHA PV2118 (Diacetyl) -- Appendix B. OSHA 1012 (Acetoin and Diacetyl) -- Appendix C. Acetoin Diacetyl 1013 -- Appendix D. 2, 3-Pentanedione -- Appendix E. Volatile Organic Compounds (Screening) 2549 [NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), Fourth Edition, 5/15/96] -- Appendix F. Correcting Diacetyl Concentrations from Air Samples Collected with NIOSH Method 2557 [J Occup Environ Hyg. 2011 Feb;8(2):59-70. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2011.540168.] -- Appendix G. JEM Tables for Four Plants -- Appendix H. Development of a Job Exposure Matrix for Company G -- Appendix I. Typical Protocol for Collecting Air Samples for Diacetyl and 2, 3-Pentanedione

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Hyperpolarised 129Xe Gas in the Human Lungs

This thesis has mainly focused on methods for hyperpolarised xenon imaging in human lungs at both 1.5 T and 3 T clinical scanners. The results can be summarised briefly as followed: (i) 129Xe human lung imaging is feasible on both 1.5 T and 3T clinical scanners and the ventilation images obtained show comparable SNR and qualitative images (Chapter 3) with slightly higher SNR observed at 3 T. The susceptibility effect, however, does increase at a higher field strength of 3 T, resulting in smaller T2* values in the gas phase 129Xe in a static dephasing regime, and are highly dependent on lung inflation level. (ii) A whole body, unshielded, asymmetric, insert birdcage transmit receive xenon coil was developed for the in-vivo imaging of the human lungs for hyperpolarised 129Xe MRI at 1.5 T. It provides a homogeneous magnetic field and high quality hyperpolarised 129Xe ventilation images. The transparency of the coil to the proton body coil is utilised for localiser imaging prior to xenon lung imaging as well as co-registered 1H/129Xe images in a single breath hold. This coil has also been shown to work with an 8 Channel array coil. (iii) T2* of dissolved 129Xe gas in the human lungs at both 1.5 T and 3 T are very short, were measured at 1.6 ms and 1.0 ms respectively. To achieve better dissolved-phase 129Xe images, one must ensure the minimisation of echo time (TE), and taken into consideration of the chemical shift between 129XeRBC and 129Xeplasma. In conclusion, all findings of this thesis resulted in development and more understanding into the relatively new field of hyperpolarised 129Xe lung imaging. The work built the groundwork towards improvement of 129Xe MRI as a useful and reliable imaging modality

Biological Networks

Networks of coordinated interactions among biological entities govern a myriad of biological functions that span a wide range of both length and time scales—from ecosystems to individual cells and from years to milliseconds. For these networks, the concept “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” applies as a norm rather than an exception. Meanwhile, continued advances in molecular biology and high-throughput technology have enabled a broad and systematic interrogation of whole-cell networks, allowing the investigation of biological processes and functions at unprecedented breadth and resolution—even down to the single-cell level. The explosion of biological data, especially molecular-level intracellular data, necessitates new paradigms for unraveling the complexity of biological networks and for understanding how biological functions emerge from such networks. These paradigms introduce new challenges related to the analysis of networks in which quantitative approaches such as machine learning and mathematical modeling play an indispensable role. The Special Issue on “Biological Networks” showcases advances in the development and application of in silico network modeling and analysis of biological systems

Life Sciences Program Tasks and Bibliography

This document includes information on all peer reviewed projects funded by the Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications, Life Sciences Division during fiscal year 1995. Additionally, this inaugural edition of the Task Book includes information for FY 1994 programs. This document will be published annually and made available to scientists in the space life sciences field both as a hard copy and as an interactive Internet web pag

Anti-angiogenic and toxicity effects of Derris trifoliata extract in zebrafish embryo

Introduction: Derris trifoliata has been traditionally used as folk for the treatment of , rheumatic joints, diarrhoea, and dysmenorrhea, and rotenoids isolated from the plant have shown to exhibit anti-cancer properties. This study aimed to assess the toxicity effects and antiangiogenic activity of extract of Derris trifoliata on zebrafish embryo model. Materials and Methods: Zebrafihs embryos were treated with aqueous extract of Derris Trifoliata to evaluate its effects on angiogenesis and zebrafish-toxicity. Angiogenic response was analyzed using whole-mount alkaline phosphatase (AP) vessel staining on 72 hours post fertilization (hpf) zebrafish embryos. Results: 1.0 mg/ml concentration was toxic to zebrafish embryos and embryos exposed to concentrations at 0.5 mg/ml and below showed some malformations. Derris trifoliata aqueous extract also showed some anti-angiogenic activity in vivo in the zebrafish embryo model wereby at high concentration inhibited vessel formation in zebrafish embryo. Conclusions: The anti-angiogenic response of extract of Derris trifoliata in zebrafish in vivo model suggest its therapeutic potential as anti-cancer agent

Medical-Data-Models.org:A collection of freely available forms (September 2016)

MDM-Portal (Medical Data-Models) is a meta-data repository for creating, analysing, sharing and reusing medical forms, developed by the Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Muenster in Germany. Electronic forms for documentation of patient data are an integral part within the workflow of physicians. A huge amount of data is collected either through routine documentation forms (EHRs) for electronic health records or as case report forms (CRFs) for clinical trials. This raises major scientific challenges for health care, since different health information systems are not necessarily compatible with each other and thus information exchange of structured data is hampered. Software vendors provide a variety of individual documentation forms according to their standard contracts, which function as isolated applications. Furthermore, free availability of those forms is rarely the case. Currently less than 5 % of medical forms are freely accessible. Based on this lack of transparency harmonization of data models in health care is extremely cumbersome, thus work and know-how of completed clinical trials and routine documentation in hospitals are hard to be re-used. The MDM-Portal serves as an infrastructure for academic (non-commercial) medical research to contribute a solution to this problem. It already contains more than 4,000 system-independent forms (CDISC ODM Format, www.cdisc.org, Operational Data Model) with more than 380,000 dataelements. This enables researchers to view, discuss, download and export forms in most common technical formats such as PDF, CSV, Excel, SQL, SPSS, R, etc. A growing user community will lead to a growing database of medical forms. In this matter, we would like to encourage all medical researchers to register and add forms and discuss existing forms

Temas de actualidad en salud pública

La salud pública es una disciplina importante para la salud en el mundo. Se define como la ciencia y el arte de prevenir las enfermedades, prolongar la vida y promover la salud a través de los esfuerzos organizados y decisiones con conocimiento de la sociedad, las organizaciones (públicas y privadas), las comunidades y los individuos, esta disciplina se ha renovado con la incorporación de múltiples actores, profesiones, áreas de conocimiento, además de ser afectados y promovido por múltiples tecnologías, en particular los de información. Como un campo cambiante del conocimiento, la salud pública requiere la información basada en la evidencia y actualizaciones regulares, más aún en el contexto de un mundo en transición epidemiológica. "Temas actuales en la salud pública", presenta información actualizada sobre varios temas relacionados con las áreas reales de interés en esta ciencia médica creciente y emocionante, con la concepción y la filosofía que estamos trabajando para mejorar la salud de la población, en lugar que el tratamiento de las enfermedades de los pacientes individuales, la toma de decisiones sobre el cuidado de la salud colectiva que se basan en la mejor evidencia disponible, actualizada, válida y pertinente, y, finalmente, en el contexto de los recursos disponibles. La salud pública debe ser una ciencia compleja, ayudando en las decisiones, acciones y cambios en la salud del mundo. En una sociedad globalizada esto se hizo hincapié no sólo en una nación en particular, sino en todo el mundo.Public health is a major health discipline in the world. Defined as the science and art of preventing diseases, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of the society, organizations (public and private), communities and individuals, this discipline has been renewed by the incorporation of multiple actors, professions, knowledge areas, as well as being impacted and promoted by multiple technologies, particularly information ones. As a changing field of knowledge, public health requires evidence-based information and regular updates, even more in the context of a world in epidemiological transition. Health impacts of climate change are currently in the quest of the Millennium Development Goals, and most of them are related to the activities of public health. “Current Topics in Public Health” presents updated information on multiple topics related to actual areas of interest in this growing and exciting medical science, with the conception and philosophy that we are working to improve the health of the population, rather than treating diseases of individual patients; taking decisions about collective health care that are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence; and finally within the context of available resources. Public health should be a complex science helping in the decision, actions and changes in the health of the world. In a globalized society this is emphasized not just in a particular nation but in the whole world