Danger Dust

A Pakistani province declared a health emergency Friday due to smog and imposed a shutdown in two major cities.

Smog has choked Punjab for weeks, sickening nearly 2 million people and shrouding vast swathes of the province in a toxic haze.

Time off for medical staff is cancelled, all education institutions are shut until further notice, restaurants are closing at 4 p.n. while takeaway is available up until 8 p.m. Authorities are imposing a lockdown in the cities of Multan and Lahore and halting construction work in those two places.

"Smog is currently a national disaster," Aurangzeb said. "It will not all be over in a month or a year. We will evaluate the situation after three days and then announce a further strategy."

Average air quality index readings in parts of Lahore, a city of 11 million, exceeded 600 on Friday. Anything over 300 is considered hazardous to health.

A compound found in a parasitic fungus that commonly paralyzes and kills caterpillars has been shown to block pathways critical for the growth of some cancers.

The researchers found cordycepin triphosphate blocks two separate signaling pathways often hijacked by cancer cells to assist their spread throughout the human body. Although it's not clear yet which molecules cordycepin triphosphate is targeting the team did find that the chemical appeared to be working quickly.

Source:

Cordycepin generally inhibits growth factor signal transduction in a systems pharmacology study

https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1873-3468.15046

Rutgers Health research has uncovered why a relatively new antibiotic for tuberculosis (TB) works against multidrug-resistant strains, potentially inspiring improved treatments and drug development strategies.

The study by scientists at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and other institutions found that deficiencies in a critical enzyme make tuberculosis bacteria that resist old antibiotics more vulnerable to the new antibiotic bedaquiline.

Study Paper:

Catalase activity deficiency sensitizes multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis to the ATP synthase inhibitor bedaquiline

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-53933-8

With cities in India and Pakistan ranking among the world's most polluted, new technologies must be adopted to tackle dangerous levels of winter smog, environmentalists urge.

According to the Swiss IQ Air index, Lahore in Pakistan and Delhi in India have the highest levels of fine particulate matter in the air, known as PM2.5, of any city—the only two to be rated as "hazardous."

Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, tops the index, with pollution reaching levels ten times higher than those in Shanghai early this week. The pollution is so bad that the huge gray clouds blanketing the region can be seen from space as satellite imagery from NASA Worldview shows.

Every time generative artificial intelligence drafts an e-mail or conjures up an image, the planet pays for it. Making two images can consume as much energy as charging a smartphone; a single exchange with ChatGPT can heat up a server so much that it requires a bottle’s worth of water to cool. At scale, these costs soar. By 2027, the global AI sector could annually consume as much electricity as the Netherlands

What Schett had in mind for his patient: chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. The treatment involves isolating a patient’s T cells—the sentries of the immune system that strike invaders—and engineering them in a lab to destroy blood cells called B cells that have become cancerous. B cells also help power many autoimmune diseases, and Schett had seen a 2019 study describing mice with lupus restored to good health after CAR-T treatment. He wondered whether the treatment could rescue someone like Thu-Thao.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases.

One patch serving several functions

The patch is designed to contain two active ingredients at once and release them onto the skin at different rates.

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has awarded the first Paul Dockerill Award to Dr Scott McGibbon to develop a new silica safety toolkit, expected to launch in 2026.

This innovative resource aims to protect construction workers, clients, and residents by raising awareness about the dangers of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust, a prevalent but often overlooked risk in the construction industry.

The toolkit, made possible through a £10,000 funding boost from the CIOB, will provide both digital and printable resources to inform and equip users with best practices for working safely with silica. It will cover essential guidelines for minimising exposure to RCS, found in materials like concrete, brick, and cement. Long-term exposure to silica dust can cause debilitating conditions such as silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer, making it the second-highest risk to construction workers after asbestos.

Dr McGibbon, a former stonemason who now leads his own construction consultancy, feels a strong personal commitment to the project, having witnessed colleagues develop severe health issues due to silica exposure. “Despite the risks of silica dust being known for thousands of years, the impact of high exposure is irreversible, and mitigation can be achieved easily,” he said. “I’ve seen the devastating effects of RCS first-hand—on both individuals and their families—and that has driven me to develop this resource.”

A mysterious electromagnetic mechanism may be more important than the firing of neurons in our brains to explain our awareness

The “ephaptic” in ephaptic coupling simply means “touching.” Though not well-known, ephaptic field effects result from the textbook electric and magnetic interactions that power our cells. Intriguing experimental results suggest these same forces play a bigger role in the brain than one suspected and perhaps even in consciousness.

Researchers from the National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan have identified an increased risk of psoriasis in patients with cancer undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatments, with implications for other immune-related adverse events.

Over the past decade, ICIs have become an increasingly important part of cancer immunotherapy. ICI therapies enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer cells but have been associated with adverse events. These events can result from a loss of T-cell tolerance, allowing the immune system to attack healthy organ tissues such as the skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, lungs, and endocrine system.

Source:

Psoriasis Risk With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2825850

Forever Chemicals May Damage Kidney Function, Evidence Shows

Forever chemicals are falling in the rain, running through our waterways, and swimming in our bloodstreams, and now, initial research suggests these potentially harmful pollutants are 'clogging up' a crucial drainage system in our bodies.

The new study indicates forever chemicals are impacting kidney health, with changes to the gut microbiome explaining at least some of the effects.

Source :

The potential mediating role of the gut microbiome and metabolites in the association between PFAS and kidney function in young adults: A proof-of-concept study

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724066750?via%3Dihub

Because there are typically no symptoms until the first fracture occurs, osteoporosis is considered a silent disease. Some call it a silent killer.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by decreased bone density and strength, leading to fragile, brittle bones that increase the risk of fractures, especially in the spine, hips and wrists.

The ancient scourge of tuberculosis for years was the deadliest infectious disease. Then SARS-CoV-2 came along and grabbed the notorious title of #1 killer: In 2020, COVID-19 was responsible for 3.5 million deaths worldwide vs 1.5 million for TB.The 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report, published last week by the World Health Organization, puts TB back in the top slot with 1.25 million deaths in 2023 compared to 320,000 COVID-19 deaths. There's also been an increase of hundreds of thousands of new TB cases in 2023 compared to the year prior.

The 1.25 million TB deaths in 2023 is down from 2022’s number of 1.32 million (which that year was second to the COVID toll). But it's still indefensibly high, say public health leaders.

Scientists confirm 'disgusting' composition of mysterious tar balls that surfaced on Sydney beaches

The black balls which shut down beaches in Sydney last month and stumped authorities are "disgusting" lumps of human faeces, drugs and PFAS chemicals, according to detailed analysis by researchers.

Initial reports suggested they were made of tar and could have come from an oil spill or waste from a ship, but a plethora of tests have revealed they are more similar to "fatbergs", commonly found in sewage systems.

Traditionally, kidney health has been monitored by measuring blood creatinine levels, which indicate muscle breakdown. High creatinine levels can suggest that the kidneys are not filtering waste efficiently. However, creatinine levels can be affected by a person's muscle mass and only rise significantly after more than 75% of kidney function is lost.

As an alternative, SDMA, a byproduct of protein breakdown, has emerged as a more reliable indicator of kidney function. SDMA accumulates in the bloodstream because it cannot be metabolized and is primarily excreted by the kidneys. Measuring SDMA in urine provides a more accurate indicator of kidney health. Unlike creatinine, SDMA levels increase even with mild kidney impairment (25–40% loss) and are not significantly influenced by muscle mass.

People breathe out many gases, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, as well as other airborne compounds. Researchers have determined that declines in one exhaled chemical—isoprene—can indicate the presence of lung cancer. However, to detect such small shifts, a sensor would need to be highly sensitive, capable of detecting isoprene levels in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range. It would also need to differentiate isoprene from other volatile chemicals and withstand breath's natural humidity.

On Tuesday, the level of PM2.5 particles—the smallest and most harmful, which can enter the bloodstream—topped 278 micrograms per cubic metre, according to monitoring firm IQAir.

That is 18 times the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization.

On the worst days, levels can shoot up as high as 30 times the daily maximum.

Piecemeal government efforts to mitigate the smog, such as a public campaign encouraging drivers to turn off their engines at traffic lights, have failed to make an impact.

A study in The Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths to air pollution in the world's most populous country in 2019.

The widows of two stonemasons who died from a lung condition contracted during their work have warned of the dangers of "new asbestos".

Paul Gray and Stuart Johnson, who worked for the same stone production companies in Bradford and Leeds, were diagnosed with silicosis caused by silica dust.

The Health and Safety Executive has described silica dust found in stone as the "single biggest risk to construction workers" after the notoriously toxic asbestos.

The families of Mr Gray and Mr Johnson have called on employers to do more to protect workers, as both men had told their solicitors that they had not been warned about the dangers they faced or given protective equipment.

Those most at risk of developing silicosis have inhaled large amounts of silica dust over a period of years.

The death of a stonemason diagnosed with silicosis after cutting kitchen worktops has seen a coroner demand “urgent action” from the Government and the workplace safety watchdog in order to protect workers.

Wessam al Jundi, 28, died in May 2024, five days after being admitted to hospital for a lung transplant following his diagnosis with a severe form of the deadly lung disease, according to a Prevention of Future Death (PFD) report 

The Senior Coroner for west London, Lydia Brown, has written to the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) demanding a “timetable for action” to tackle the dangers of cutting engineered stone.

Ms Brown wrote: “Wessam had been working with artificial stone products which contain a very high percentage of crystalline silica content.

“During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern.

“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.

This evidence of child involvement was found on Greek import and Egyptian figurines. Interestingly, children were found never to make figurines by themselves; those of older individuals always accompanied their fingerprints. Children were likely tasked with pressing the clay sheets into the molds, a task more suited to a child's smaller hands.

Thereafter, the older supervising adult would remove the clay and fix the two halves; if not done correctly, this could ruin the figurine.

There has been considerable debate as to the main drivers of disease severity and prevalence amongst workers fabricating ES benchtops.

Early studies considered fabrication practices (e.g., wet versus dry cutting) , dust exposure levels and the high level of crystalline silica in many of the slabs (unfinished products) on the market.

However, more recent studies have shown that the situation is more nuanced than this with evidence that fabrication of ES finished products leads to the emission of vapours (e.g., volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particulate matter other than silica that pose a threat to respiratory health.

In addition, the over-representation of immigrant workers amongst silicosis cases suggests that there are non-material-related factors contributing to disease risk.

Silicosis due to artificial stone (AS) has emerged over the last decade as an increasing global issue.

We report the first eight UK cases. All were men; median age was 34 years (range 27-56) and median stone dust exposure was 12.5 years (range 4-40) but in 4 cases was 4-8 years. One is deceased; two were referred for lung transplant assessment.

All cases were dry cutting and polishing AS worktops with inadequate safety measures.

Clinical features of silicosis can closely mimic sarcoidosis.

UK cases are likely to increase, with urgent action needed to identify cases and enforce regulations.

Conclusion: The proportion of workers with detectable ANAs or ENAs was considerably higher than the 5%-9% expected in the general population. Some of the antibodies detected (eg, Scl-70, CENPB) have high sensitivity and specificity for systemic sclerosis. Long-term follow-up will be needed to estimate incidence. Rheumatologists should explore occupational history in new cases of autoimmune disease. Screening for autoimmune disease is indicated in workers exposed to RCS as these individuals need specialised management and may be entitled to compensation.

Silica dust exposure is one of the earliest recognized causes of lung disease. Hippocrates first recognized silica's effect on respiratory function in 430 B.C.

In the 1550s, Georgius Agricola wrote about men dying of pulmonary disease after working in the mining industry in Central Europe.

In 1770, Italian physician Bernardino Ramazzini identified silicotic nodules in the lungs of stone cutters. In the mid to late 1800s, mechanization in the mining industry resulted in rapidly increasing levels of silica exposure and cases of silicosis.

Silicosis was first recognized as a chronic disease that occurred primarily in miners and stone workers after at least 10 years of exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust.

Several diseases are associated with silicosis, which also can complicate the diagnosis. Studies have shown that silica dust exposure is associated with emphysema in smokers and nonsmokers alike. Thus, silicosis should not be ruled out in patients with obstructive pulmonary symptoms.

Silica exposure also is associated with an increased risk for TB.Silica and silicosis are risk factors for developing mycobacterial lung infections

Silicosis is associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases and lung cancer. Specific autoantibodies have not been identified, but studies have demonstrated an association between silica exposure and systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Silica dust is believed to promote or accelerate disease development, break immune tolerance, initiate autoimmunity, or magnify autoimmune vulnerability.

Respirable crystalline silica was recognized as early as 1997 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen, and its carcinogenicity was reconfirmed in a 2009 report

Yet another strain of the virus that causes mpox might be readily spreading from person to person, according to an analysis of the pathogen’s genome. This development could further complicate efforts to halt the spread of the disease in Central Africa, which has seen a surge in infections over the past year. And it has left researchers scratching their heads over what is currently driving this surge.