scholarly journals Molds and Aflatoxins in Traditional Moldy Civil Cheese: Presence and Public Health Concerns

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 3223
Author(s):  
NE ONMAZ ◽  
S ÇINICIOĞLU ◽  
C GUNGOR
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Its Sequence ◽  
Penicillium Roqueforti ◽  
Total Aflatoxin ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Legal Limits ◽  
Its Sequence Analysis ◽  
Contamination Levels

The purpose of this study was to detect the mold biota, the contamination levels of total aflatoxin (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in moldy civil cheese. A total of 100 moldy civil cheese were collected from randomly selected retailers. Mold biota was determined with conventional and ITS sequence analysis, and Aflatoxin (AF) analysis was performed usingEnzyme-Linled Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). In the analyzed samples, Penicillium roqueforti (100%) was isolated as the dominant species followed by P. verrucosum (83%), Aspergillus flavus (17%). Fifteen (15 %) of moldy civil cheese samples contained AF with levels ranging from 12 to 378 ng/kg.Likewise, AFM1 was found in 25 (25 %) of samples (ranging from 5.46 to 141.56 ng/kg), among which 5 (5 %) were above the legal limits. Considering the presence of A. flavus, total AF and AFM1 contamination in the analyzed cheese samples it could be emphasized that moldy civil cheese might pose a hazard for public health.

scholarly journals Review on the Aflatoxins’ Contamination of Foods and Public Health Effects among Nigerian Population

2020 ◽  
pp. 33-49
Author(s):  
Baha'uddeen Salisu ◽  
◽  
Siti Marwanis Anua ◽  
Wan Rosli Wan Ishak ◽  
Nurzafirah Mazlan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Liver Cancer ◽  
Primary Liver Cancer ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Severe Toxicity ◽  
Severe Stunting ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
Percentage Incidence

Aflatoxin in foods and feeds need adequate monitoring on account of their severe toxicity and carcinogenicity to both humans and animals. This review was aimed at examining the public health risks attributed to chronic exposure of aflatoxins in foods within Nigeria. Both the reported cases of aflatoxins in foods and biomarkers in Nigeria signified increase in dietary exposure. Aflatoxins contamination levels ranges from 1.3 ng/g to 51,192ng/g in foods with an estimated dietary exposure of 0.00017 ng/kgbw/day to 9, 880.56 ng/kgbw/day. The percentage incidence of primary liver cancer cases (PLCC) attributable to the dietary aflatoxin exposure for every 100,000 Nigerians per year ranges from 0.0024 to 708.13% between 1998 to 2008 which increases to 0.0046 to 45,602% between 2009 to 2018. The percentage incidence of PLCC signified by urine aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in adults was around 0.23 – 1.29% per 100,000 population per year. In children, the estimated PLCC and stunting due to aflatoxin exposure via breast milk were 0.0019 to 237.71 cancers per 100,000 populations per year and mild to severe stunting with height-for-age z-score (HAZ) value above -3 HAZ reductions. Hence, there is need for additional monitoring of the marketed foods and implementing more stringent control and prevention strategies that reduce dietary exposure levels in Nigeria. Keywords: Aflatoxins, Immuno-suppression, Stunting, Liver cancer

scholarly journals Aflatoxin M1 in Milk and some Dairy Products: Level, Effect of Manufature and Public Health Concerns

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asmaa Tahoun ◽  
Mona Ahmed ◽  
Rasha Abou Elez ◽  
Samah AbdEllatif
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Dairy Products ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Level Effect

scholarly journals Türkiye’de Geleneksel Yöntemlerle Üretilen Peynirlerin Küf Florası

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 926
Author(s):  
Musa Yalman ◽  
Seda Özdikmenli Tepeli ◽  
Nükhet Nilüfer Demirel Zorba
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Goat Milk ◽  
General Information ◽  
Eastern Anatolia ◽  
Penicillium Roqueforti ◽  
Public Health Risk ◽  
Traditional Production ◽  
Penicillium Spp

In our country, there are many cheese types that are produced traditionally. Cheeses which produced from cows, sheep and goat milk that matured with spontaneous growth of molds present in livestock skins, pots and similar environments are among them. They are produced traditionally in Mediterrian, Central and Eastern Anatolia regions. Molds that grow spontaneously in cheeses could create public health risk because of their secondary metabolites. Penicillium spp. are the most isolated mold from these cheeses and Penicillium roqueforti is determined as the dominant species. Furthermore, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Mucor, Geotrichum, Cladosporium species have been isolated. It is very important to control the ripening conditions and starter strain selection since some strains were reported as mycotoxin producers. In this review, it has been tried to give general information about traditional production of mold-ripened cheese in Turkey and the mold flora found in traditional cheeses. In addition, public health risk of these cheeses is reported.

Survey of the Occurrence of Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products Marketed in Italy

1998 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 738-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
FABIO GALVANO ◽  
VITTORIO GALOFARO ◽  
ANNA DE ANGELIS ◽  
MARCO GALVANO ◽  
MATTEO BOGNANNO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Products ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Widespread Occurrence ◽  
Milk Samples ◽  
Legal Limits ◽  
Two Samples ◽  
Dry Milk ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Contamination Levels

During 1995, 159 samples of milk, 97 samples of dry milk for infant formula, and 114 samples of yogurt were randomly collected in supermarkets and drug stores in four large Italian cities and checked for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) by immunoaffinity column extraction and HPLC. AFM1 was detected in 136 (86%) of the milk samples (in amounts ranging from <1 ng/liter to 108.5 ng/liter; mean level: 10.19 ng/liter), in 81 (84%) of the dry milk samples (in amounts ranging from < 1 ng/kg to 101.3 ng/kg; mean level: 21.77 ng/kg), and in 91 (80%) of the yogurt samples (in amounts ranging from <1 ng/liter to 496.5 ng/liter; mean level: 18.08 ng/liter). Altogether, only two samples of milk, two samples of yogurt, and one sample of dry milk had levels of AFM1 exceeding the Swiss legal limits, which are the most restrictive in the world. AFM1 contamination levels in milk and yogurt samples collected in the period of November to April were ca. four times as high as those in samples collected in the period of May to October. It is concluded that during 1995, despite the widespread occurrence of AFM1, the mean contamination levels in dairy products sold in Italy were not a serious human health hazard.

Feature extraction and prediction of Dengue Outbreaks

2020 ◽  
pp. 216-222
Author(s):  
Kunal Parikh ◽  
Tanvi Makadia ◽  
Harshil Patel
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Feature Extraction ◽  
Predictive Analytics ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithm ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
The World ◽  
Dengue Outbreaks

Dengue is unquestionably one of the biggest health concerns in India and for many other developing countries. Unfortunately, many people have lost their lives because of it. Every year, approximately 390 million dengue infections occur around the world among which 500,000 people are seriously infected and 25,000 people have died annually. Many factors could cause dengue such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, inadequate public health, and many others. In this paper, we are proposing a method to perform predictive analytics on dengue’s dataset using KNN: a machine-learning algorithm. This analysis would help in the prediction of future cases and we could save the lives of many.

Gendered Marketing of Food Supplements in Lifestyle Magazines in Greece

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-63
Author(s):  
Effrosyni Kotsaga
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Print Media ◽  
Women's Magazines ◽  
Quality Characteristics ◽  
Food Supplements ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Comparative Statistical Analysis ◽  
Gendered Stereotypes

Background: Marketing of food supplements in Greece in print media has not been examined and this study is the first attempt to provide a comparative statistical analysis. Methods: Lifestyle magazines that were distributed all over Greece and aimed at women and men were collected in the years 2014 and 2016. Five criteria with their subcriteria were developed and were related to the branding of the food supplements; their quality characteristics; the information given about health concerns; photographs of people who promoted food supplements and to claims of their suitability. Results: It seems that in terms of product branding, women’s magazines were more likely to be targeted. Some quality characteristics such as information about the ingredients of food supplements or information about banned substances were more likely to be seen in women’s magazines in 2016. In 2014 and 2016, not all advertisements provided information about health concerns and among those which informed readers about health concerns, differentiation in target audiences was observed. Photographs that showed people promoting food supplements as well as claims of suitability for various categories of consumers, seem to be gendered in 2014 but this trend was not strong enough in 2016. Conclusion: It can be argued that the marketing of food supplements was aggressive and gendered in 2014 and changed in 2016 with better information on public health but had retained some gendered stereotypes.

Biosecurity and Public Health Ethics Issues Raised by Biological Threats

2019 ◽  
pp. 773-785
Author(s):  
Nicholas Evans ◽  
Thomas Inglesby
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Biological Weapon ◽  
Ethical Values ◽  
Dual Use ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Trade Offs

This chapter introduces ethical issues that arise in the context of biosecurity: policies and actions intended to prevent the development or emergence, or mitigate the consequences, of serious biological threats. These threats could include deliberate biological weapon attacks (bioterrorism), pandemics, emerging infectious diseases, or major laboratory accidents. The basic values that underpin these public health concerns are first introduced. Ethical issues that arise before, during, and following a biosecurity crisis are then examined, including issues of resource allocation, dual-use research, and the possibility of quarantine. Their resolution requires trade-offs among different ethical values, including utility, fairness, and liberty.

Public Health Preparedness of Post-Katrina and Rita Shelter Health Staff

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 500-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daksha Brahmbhatt ◽  
Jennifer L. Chan ◽  
Edbert B. Hsu ◽  
Hani Mowafi ◽  
Thomas D. Kirsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Health Training ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Training ◽  
Clinical Scenarios ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Hurricanes Katrina And Rita

AbstractIntroduction:During 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck the US Gulf Coast, displacing approximately two million people. With >250,000 evacuees in shelters, volunteers from the American Red Cross (ARC) and other nongovernmental and faith-based organizations provided services. The objective of this study was to evaluate the composition, pre-deployment training, and recognition of scenarios with outbreak potential by shelter health staff.Methods:A rapid assessment using a 36-item questionnaire was conducted through in-person interviews with shelter health staff immediately following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Data were collected by sampling at shelters located throughout five ARC regions in Texas. The survey focused on: (1) public health capacity; (2) level of public health awareness among staff; (3) public health training prior to deployment; and (4) interest in technical support for public health concerns. In addition, health staff volunteers were asked to manage 11 clinical scenarios with possible public health implications.Results:Forty-three health staff at 24 shelters were interviewed. Nurses comprised the majority of shelter health volunteers and were present in 93% of shelters; however, there were no public health providers present as staff in any shelter. Less than one-third of shelter health staff had public health training, and only 55% had received public health information specific to managing the health needs of evacuees. Only 37% of the shelters had a systematic method for screening the healthcare needs of evacuees upon arrival. Although specific clinical scenarios involving case clusters were referred appropriately, 60% of the time, 75% of all clinical scenarios with epidemic potential did not elicit proper notification of public health authorities by shelter health staff. In contrast, clinical scenarios requiring medical attention were correctly referred >90% of the time. Greater access and support from health and public health experts was endorsed by 93% of respondents.Conclusions:Public health training for sheltering operations must be enhanced and should be a required component of pre-deployment instruction. Development of a standardized shelter intake health screening instrument may facilitate assessment of needs and appropriate resource allocation. Shelter health staff did not recognize or report the majority of cases with epidemic potential to public health authorities. Direct technical support to shelter health staff for public health concerns could bridge existing gaps and assist surveillance efforts.

Alternative Workstations: Magic Pills for Office Worker Health?

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 460-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia-Hua Lin ◽  
Carisa Harris-Adamson ◽  
Stephen Bao ◽  
David Rempel ◽  
Lora Cavuoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Computer Work ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
Office Worker ◽  
Audience Participation ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Workplace Interventions ◽  
Worker Health

Routine office or computer work are of public health concerns due to their sedentary nature. Sit- stand desks may be prescribed for employees based on medical or ergonomic factors. Sit-stand or active workstations, either assigned to individual workers or made available in “unassigned” office areas are also making inroads into the workplace with the goal of reducing sedentary work, varying (alternating) work postures, improving productivity, or accommodating workers with musculoskeletal symptoms. This diverse panel will present recent research and practice findings and invite audience participation in a discussion of this trending topic. Studies examining the effects of sit-stand or active workstations on physiological and cardiovascular outcomes will be reported. The effects on movement patterns, performance and productivity will also be examined. Real workplace interventions and examples of practices will be presented. The goal is to provide a forum to share our understanding about the benefits and limitations of various office workstation designs and discuss research needs.

scholarly journals Akt Interacts with Usutu Virus Polymerase, and Its Activity Modulates Viral Replication

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Laura Albentosa-González ◽  
Rosario Sabariegos ◽  
Armando Arias ◽  
Pilar Clemente-Casares ◽  
Antonio Mas
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Confocal Microscopy ◽  
Viral Replication ◽  
Insufficient Data ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Usutu Virus ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Specific Inhibitors

Usutu virus (USUV) is a flavivirus that mainly infects wild birds through the bite of Culex mosquitoes. Recent outbreaks have been associated with an increased number of cases in humans. Despite being a growing source of public health concerns, there is yet insufficient data on the virus or host cell targets for infection control. In this work we have investigated whether the cellular kinase Akt and USUV polymerase NS5 interact and co-localize in a cell. To this aim, we performed co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays, followed by confocal microscopy analyses. We further tested whether NS5 is a phosphorylation substrate of Akt in vitro. Finally, to examine its role in viral replication, we chemically silenced Akt with three inhibitors (MK-2206, honokiol and ipatasertib). We found that both proteins are localized (confocal) and pulled down (Co-IP) together when expressed in different cell lines, supporting the fact that they are interacting partners. This possibility was further sustained by data showing that NS5 is phosphorylated by Akt. Treatment of USUV-infected cells with Akt-specific inhibitors led to decreases in virus titers (>10-fold). Our results suggest an important role for Akt in virus replication and stimulate further investigations to examine the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway as an antiviral target.

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