BACKGROUND: Prolonged screen time and abnormal postures can cause backache, neck pain, headache, and finger pain. Studies have shown that excessive usage of gadgets has increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, causing health and ocular hazards. This study used qualitative research methods to understand the health and ocular effects of gadget usage following the COVID-19 postlockdown in optometry students.
METHODS: A qualitative study using a semi-structured face-to-face interview was conducted for undergraduate and postgraduate students in different optometry institutes who underwent at least 3 months of online teaching learning during the pandemic after obtaining informed consent. The interviews were conducted online; the sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Thematic analyses were conducted to understand the challenges faced.
RESULTS: Twenty participants were interviewed, of which 70% (n = 14) were females. Thematic analysis identified seven major themes: gadget usage (frequency of usage, type of device, and time spent), challenges during online classes (comprehension, distraction, and network issues), ocular effects (asthenopic symptoms and ocular symptoms), health effects (musculoskeletal disorders), ways to relieve symptoms, recreational activities (breaks and entertainment), and environment and ergonomics (posture and study area and preferred lighting). All the participants reported ocular/health-related symptoms, including eye strain, burning sensation, headache, back pain, finger pain, and neck pain post the lockdown period due to prolonged gadget usage and poor ergonomic postures.
CONCLUSIONS: Given the significant increase in digital usage following the pandemic, the study\'s findings are currently relevant. The prolonged usage of gadgets and poor ergonomic postures have led to ocular and musculoskeletal problems among optometry students. To improve gadget usage without any health-related consequences, students should have access to information regarding ergonomics, increasing the blink rate, and taking regular digital breaks.

Microplastic pollution has become a global menace, and water, being a major \"sink\" for pollutants, represents a significant source of human exposure. This study aimed to assess the safety of borehole water in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, specifically concerning microplastic pollution. Water samples were collected from boreholes in selected areas, including Bayan Kara, Malali, Rafin Atiku, Aliero Quarters, GwadanGaji, FUBK Takeoff Site, Kalgo Market, and Tarasa. Microplastics were extracted from the water samples through filtration using glass fiber filter papers, and were subsequently subjected to spectroscopy and microscopy to determine concentrations, shapes, and polymer types. Health risks associated with the microplastics were also calculated. The results revealed that the samples from Tarasa exhibited the highest concentrations of microplastics (96.967 particles/L), followed by Bayan Kara (92.70 particles/L), Rafin Atiku (92.33 particles/L), GwadanGwaji (92.30 particles/L), FUBK Takeoff Site (91.07 particles/L), Aliero Quarters (90.43 particles/L), Kalgo Market (88.00 particles/L), and Malali (86.40 particles/L). The most dominant shape was fibers (73 %), followed by fragments (16 %), foams (6 %), and filaments (5 %). Polyethylene and polyamide, in that order, were the most dominant polymers, while polystyrene was the least common. The majority of risk scores were classified as III. It can be inferred from the results that microplastic pollution in borehole water poses a health hazard in the city. Consumers of borehole water in the studied areas are advised to treat the water before consumption to mitigate potential health risks.

Natural dyes have been used for centuries for coloring textiles, food, and other materials. Synthetic dyes are particularly popular due to their ease of use, wide range of available colors, and fastness. However, their usage comes with significant environmental and health challenges. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in natural dyes due to their eco-friendliness, ready availability, affordability, non-toxicity, and sustainability. Hence, natural dyes are fast gaining popularity as better alternatives to synthetic dyes. Nature is blessed with a rich diversity of plant species with varying colors and properties which can be harnessed in textile, printing, cosmetics, and food industries. This paper presents a comprehensive review on natural and synthetic dyes with particular focus on their history, properties, classification, extraction methods, applications, and health challenges. Although many plants have been suggested as potential sources of natural dyes, there is insufficient information on their exploration and application. Additionally, chemical analyses of these dyes have not been extensively done. Overall, the results of studies conducted so far identified a number of promising taxa for further investigation as plant-based dyes with many indigenous plants as potential sources of natural dyes.

UNASSIGNED: Cosmetic products may contain ingredients whose safety is not certain with several instances of death and anaphylaxis due to service/cosmetic usage in beauty salons. With the mushrooming of beauty salons and with a large consumer base, there is a dearth in the literature to assess the awareness of the health hazards among the employees. This study aims to measure the awareness levels on health hazards and their emergency management among employees working in beauty salons in Coimbatore.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study using a semi-structured questionnaire, after Institutional Human Ethics Committee (IHEC) approval, was conducted*** to assess the awareness of the health hazards including emergency management among employees of beauty salons. The sample size was estimated to be 160. All the workers working in unisex beauty salons, selected by convenience sampling within 5 km radius of PSG IMS and R, were assessed based on their awareness toward cosmetics and the data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY).
UNASSIGNED: Around 160 service providers of beauty salons participated in the study, among which 84% use several cosmetic products. Only 40% are aware of the health impacts and 21.3% are aware about the side effects which included rashes and itching associated with the products used for bleaching. Only 36.9% knew about the regulations for usage of cosmetic products and 30% knew that there is a governing body for the same.
UNASSIGNED: Awareness of health hazards and its emergency management is less among the workers; the literacy programs to improve the awareness on use of cosmetics is the need of the hour.

A vast range of pesticides have been routinely employed for plant protection throughout the last few decades. Pesticides can enter non-target organisms in various ways, posing health hazards. Exposure to different environmental pollutants, including pesticides, can affect the human gut flora. Metabolites generated from the gut microbiota play an essential role in the host\'s health by regulating metabolic homeostasis. A disruption in this equilibrium can lead to the emergence of numerous illnesses and their etiology. Pesticides have been shown in a few recent studies to harm the host\'s gut microbiome. As a result, there is an urgent need to investigate the impact of pesticides on gut microbiota-mediated immunity. Metabolic alterations in the host may give a better understanding of pesticide-induced harm. This review highlights the potential consequences of pesticide exposure on gut microbiota composition and function, mainly focusing on how it might alter the production of secondary metabolites with potential downstream implications for host health.

One of the biggest environmental worries in the world today is the risk of arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater. The Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) was used in this work to assess the As content in groundwater samples from 38 shallow (27 m) tubewells in northwest Bangladesh to determine the existing situation, potential source(s), and likely health risk of As and other important water quality parameters. The range of arsenic concentrations (μgL-1) was troublesome and greater than the WHO recommended level for drinking water, ranging from 0.50 to 164 (mean ± SD: 20.22 ± 36.46). In groundwater, the concentrations of Fe, and Mn vary from 0.04 to 52.75 mgL-1 (mean ± SD: 4.23 ± 9.68), and 0.23 to 3.27 mgL-1 (mean ± SD: 1.10 ± 0.67). The obtained groundwater samples have pH values ranging from 5.9 to 7.1, which indicates a somewhat acidic to neutral character. Major cations have an average abundance that is as follows: Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+, while major anions have an average abundance that is as follows: HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > NO3-; Ca2+ and HCO3- are the main cation and anion, respectively. The groundwater in the Rajarampur village was deemed unfit for drinking or irrigation based on analyses of water quality performed using the entropy water quality index. The Ca-HCO3 type of water, in which Ca2+ and HCO3- are the main positive ions and negative ions, is suggested by the Piper tri-linear diagram. It was discovered that silicate weathering regulates the hydro-geochemical activities in groundwater using a bi-variate examination of several hydro-chemical variables. Four major clusters were observed for the water sample. According to reductive dissolution processes and principal component analysis, the arsenic in groundwater is geogenic in origin. Arsenic is discharged from sediment to groundwater by reductive dissolution of FeOOH and MnOOH, as shown by the modest connection between As, Fe, and Mn. The United Nations Environmental Protection Agency\'s (USEPA) suggested value for probable cancer risk assessment was 10-6, however the probable cancer risk assessment found a higher value, indicating that the population in the study region was at high risk for cancer. Remedial measures for arsenic mitigation include removing arsenic from groundwater after it is extracted, searching for alternative aquifers, and implementing various water-supply technologies such as dugwells, deep tubewells, pond-sand filters, and rainwater harvesting systems.

Proper Healthcare Waste (HW) management is directly influenced by the knowledge and attitudes of Healthcare Professionals (HCP). However, studies that characterize the knowledge and practices of HCP on HW management are limited in Sri Lanka. This study was conducted to characterize the knowledge, perceptions and practices of HCP on the management of HW and to determine the risk factors influencing HW related occupational health hazards in the Colombo District of Sri Lanka.
A total of 407 HCP were recruited as the study population from selected hospitals in the Colombo District. Information on socio-demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes and practices on HW management were gathered using an interviewer-administrated questionnaire. The Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) was used to determine the socio-economic risk factors associated with the occurrence of HW related health issues among the respondents.
The majority of respondents were characterized with a high knowledge level (76.9%) and positive attitudes (53.8%) on HW management. Incineration (82.6%) was recognized as the most widely used HW treatment method. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was used at a satisfactory level (85.5%), while liquid waste treatment was limited (57.5%). The occupational designation, level of training received in HW management, professional experience, vaccination status for tetanus, degree of knowledge and attitudes on HW management were recognized as significant risk factors (p < 0.05) associated with the occurrence of HW related occupational hazards.
Even though, the treatment of HW was satisfactory, strengthening the existing mechanisms for monitoring of HW management, provisioning more resources and organizing training and awareness programmes on HW management for HCP are recommended.

Milk and its derivatives are basic foods in Peru, especially for children. The Junín region, in the central Andes, is one of the leading dairy basins. However, the safety of milk is affected by mining-metallurgical activities, wastewater dumping, organic residues, and inappropriate use of organophosphate fertilizers in agriculture whose contaminants reach the food chain, putting human health at risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in milk produced on a representative farm in central Peru, which uses phosphorous agrochemicals and is adjacent to a small mineral concentrator and a municipal solid waste dump, and to evaluate the potential risk for the Peruvian population of 2-85 years considering three levels of daily intake by age, which constitutes the innovative contribution of the study. These three elements were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry following standardized procedures. The mean contents of Pb (0.062 mg/kg), Cd (0.014 mg/kg), and As (0.030 mg/kg) in milk exceeded the maximum limits allowed by international standards. At all ages, the target quotient hazard followed a descending order of As > Pb > Cd, being > 1 in the case of As. The hazard index was >1 for children under 7, 9, and 11 years of age in the scenarios of low, medium, and high milk intake. The information is valid for formulating policies to prevent adverse health effects and develop standards and awareness programs, monitoring, and control of heavy metals in milk in Peru.

BACKGROUND: Various stages of the food chain, from production to processing to distribution, can impact food safety. The concept of \"food defense\" has emerged as a countermeasure against intentional contamination of food with foreign substances. Although knowledge of food hygiene is common among consumers, there are currently no reports of consumer surveys on food defense.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate consumer awareness of food defense and food safety. We analyzed the results focusing on how consumers behave when they find abnormalities in food to further our knowledge on promoting food defense measures.
METHODS: Participants completed a web-based questionnaire that included items related to awareness of food safety and food defense, as well as actions to be taken in cases of food abnormalities, such as contamination by foreign substances, the presence of a bad smell in purchased food, and the inclusion of extra items not selected by the individual. The participants were asked to indicate their preference among the 5 suggested actions in each case using a 6-point Likert scale. Data analysis involved aggregating responses into binary values. Stepwise linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between selected actions and questionnaire items, such as sex, age, and personality.
RESULTS: A total of 1442 respondents completed the survey, and the majority of participants placed importance on food safety when making food purchases. The recognition of each term was as follows: 95.2% (n=1373) for \"food security and safety,\" 95.6% (n=1379) for \"food hygiene,\" and 17.1% (n=247) for \"food defense.\" The percentages of those who answered that they would \"eat without worrying\" in the case of \"contamination by foreign substances,\" \"bad smell,\" or \"including unpurchased product\" in the frozen food they purchased were 9.1% (n=131), 4.8% (n=69), and 30.7% (n=443), respectively. The results showed that contacting the manufacturer was the most common action when faced with contaminated food or food with a bad smell. Interestingly, a significant percentage of respondents indicated they would upload the issue on social networking sites. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male participants and the younger generation were more likely to choose the option of eating contaminated food without worrying. Additionally, the tendency to upload the issue on social networking sites was higher among respondents who were sociable and brand-conscious.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that if food intentionally contaminated with a foreign substance is sold and delivered to consumers, it is possible consumers may eat it and experience health problems. Therefore, it is crucial for not only food manufacturers but also food delivery service providers to consider food defense measures such as protecting food from intentional contamination. Additionally, promoting consumer education and awareness regarding food defense can contribute to enhancing food safety throughout the food chain.

Introduction: Inhalation of laser-induced smoke is a potential health hazard to exposed physicians and laser operators. To date, little is known about the perception of health hazards related to laser-induced smoke exposure among physicians and the actual use of safety measures to mitigate these risks. Methods: In May 2020, 514 members of the European Society for Lasers and Energy-Based Devices (ESLD) were invited by email to participate in an online survey. The survey comprised 16 questions including multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Results: Responses were received from 109 participants. The majority (90%) were aware of potential hazards and highlighted a desire for better protective measures (60%). A smoke evacuation system was frequently used with ablative lasers (66%) and fractional ablative lasers (61%), but less the case with non-ablative lasers (30%) and hair removal lasers (28%). The COVID-19 outbreak had no clear effect on the use of smoke evacuation systems. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, mainly surgical masks were used (40-57%), while high filtration masks (FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3) were used by only a small percentage (15-30%). Post COVID-19 outbreak, the use of high filtration masks increased significantly (54-66%), predominately due to an increase in the use of FFP2 masks. Reasons mentioned for inadequate protective measures were sparse knowledge, limited availability, discomfort, excessive noise, high room temperatures, and financial costs. Conclusion: While there is considerable awareness of the hazards of laser-induced smoke among physicians and laser operators, a substantial number of them do not use appropriate protective measures. The implementation of regulations on safety measures is hampered by sparse knowledge, limited availability, discomfort, excessive noise, financial issues, and high room temperatures.