Recent advances and current challenges of new approach methodologies in developmental and adult neurotoxicity testing.

Adult neurotoxicity (ANT) and developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) assessments aim to understand the adverse effects and underlying mechanisms of toxicants on the human nervous system. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the so-called new approach methodologies (NAMs). The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), together with European and American regulatory agencies, promote the use of validated alternative test systems, but to date, guidelines for regulatory DNT and ANT assessment rely primarily on classical animal testing. Alternative methods include both non-animal approaches and test systems on non-vertebrates (e.g., nematodes) or non-mammals (e.g., fish). Therefore, this review summarizes the recent advances of NAMs focusing on ANT and DNT and highlights the potential and current critical issues for the full implementation of these methods in the future. The status of the DNT in vitro battery (DNT IVB) is also reviewed as a first step of NAMs for the assessment of neurotoxicity in the regulatory context. Critical issues such as (i) the need for test batteries and method integration (from in silico and in vitro to in vivo alternatives, e.g., zebrafish, C. elegans) requiring interdisciplinarity to manage complexity, (ii) interlaboratory transferability, and (iii) the urgent need for method validation are discussed.

[Assessment of temporary hearing changes related to work as a bartender]. / Ocena czasowych zmian sluchu zwiazanych z praca na stanowisku barmana.

BACKGROUND: Noise in entertainment industry often reaches high sound pressure levels. Nevertheless, the risk of hearing loss in this sector is insufficiently recognized. The aim of this study was the assessment of the relationship between noise exposure and temporary threshold shifts (TTS) for people working as bartenders at a variety of entertainment venues. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study comprised a total of 18 bartenders (mean age was 25±7 years old) employed at a music club (N = 8), pub (N = 5) and discotheque (N = 5). Personal dosimeters were used for determining noise levels and frequency characteristics. Hearing was evaluated by pre- (before work) and post-exposure (up to 15 min after the end of work) pure tone audiometry. Hearing tests were carried out for bartenders during 2 or 3 sessions while working on weekends. RESULTS: The mean personal noise exposure level normalized to a nominal 8-hour working day was 95 dBA, above 4 times higher than the accepted legal limit. The TTS values (10 dB HL or more) were significant at 4 kHz for both ears for 77% of bartenders. CONCLUSIONS: People working as bartenders represent a professional group with an increased risk of hearing loss. Raising awareness of this fact and implementing hearing protection programs in this group of workers is urgently needed, in line with the European Commission Directive (EU Directive 2003/10/EC). Med Pr. 2019;70(1):17-25.

[Evaluation of on-the-job noise exposure in the case of bartenders]. / Ocena narazenia na halas na stanowiskach pracy barmanów.

BACKGROUND: In places associated with the entertainment industry in which music is performed or played, sounds with high sound pressure levels may occur. Such exposure is a threat to both people spending their free time at concerts, in discos or pubs, as well as employees in these places. The aim of the research conducted in 2017 was to assess on-the-job noise exposure in the case of bartenders at various premises of the entertainment industry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The measurements included 15 entertainment venues in Lódz, out of which 3 were selected: a music club, disco and pub. The exposure measurements were taken together for 4 work stations for bartenders using individual dosimetry in accordance with the PN-EN ISO 9612: 2011 standard. RESULTS: A total of 64 measurements were carried out, which showed that the equivalent sound levels A at the bartenders' workplaces vary considerably depending on the type of premises and the day of the week and the range of 67.6-108.7 dB. The highest sound levels occurred during the weekend (Fridays and Saturdays). The determined daily noise exposure levels exceeded the threshold of preventive action (80 dB) in 95% of the analyzed cases. Exceeding the maximum permissible noise level (NDN = 85 dB) was found in 66% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: It has been found that on-the-job noise levels in the case of bartenders significantly exceed the acceptable values of exposure levels and pose a risk of hearing damage. Med Pr 2018;69(6):633-641.

Gene-occupation interactions: a review of the literature on bladder and prostate cancer.

Bladder cancer (BCa) and prostate cancer (PCa) are genitourinary cancers which constitute significant health problems in men and in which environmental factors play an important role. Understanding the genetic susceptibility to BCa or PCa and occupational exposure is paramount to improving cancer prevention and early detection. The aim of this review article was to address the scientific evidence on the genetic risk factors and occupational exposure associated with the occurrence of BCa and PCa. The authors identified relevant original articles that have been published between 1994 and 2023. Variations of the following search terms: "gene" and "occupational" combined with one of the following terms: "bladder cancer" or "prostate cancer" were applied for the search purpose. The authors found 342 publications of which 50 population studies met their requirements for gene-occupation interactions. In total, 34 full-text manuscripts were about BCa and 16 about PCa. These research examines the genes involved in detoxification processes of xenobiotics (glutathione S-transferase, N-acetyltransferase, cytochrome P450, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase), oxidative stress (glutathione peroxidase 1, manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase), altering DNA repair capacity (X-ray repair cross-complementing 1, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair), tumour suppression (TP53 gene), and vitamin D pathway (vitamin D receptor gene). The role of genetic factors in the occupational exposure has not been conclusively established, but it appears the possibility of genetic involvement. Determination of environmentally responsive genes provides important mechanistic implications for the etiology of occupational cancers, and valuable input in occupational exposure limits set by taking genetic susceptibility into account. More genetic research is needed to corroborate these findings and assess their significance in the workplace. Med Pr. 2023;74(2):127-44.

The adaptation of noise-induced temporary hearing threshold shift predictive models for modelling the public health policy.

OBJECTIVES: It has been shown that monitoring temporary threshold shift (TTS) after exposure to noise may have a predictive value for susceptibility of developing permanent noise-induced hearing loss. The aim of this study is to present the assumptions of the TTS predictive model after its verification in normal hearing subjects along with demonstrating the usage of this model for the purposes of public health policy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The existing computational predictive TTS models were adapted and validated in a group of 18 bartenders exposed to noise at the workplace. The performance of adapted TTS predictive model was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The demonstration example of the usage of this model for estimating the risk of TTS in general unscreened population after exposure to loud music in discotheque bars or music clubs is provided. RESULTS: The adapted TTS predictive model shows a satisfactory agreement in distributions of actual and predicted TTS values and good correlations between these values in examined bartenders measured at 4 kHz, and as a mean at speech frequencies (0.5-4 kHz). An optimal cut-off level for recognizing the TTS events, ca. 75% of young people (aged ca. 35 years) may experience TTS >5 dB, while <10% may exhibit TTS of 15-18 dB. CONCLUSIONS: The final TTS predictive model proposed in this study needs to be validated in larger groups of subjects exposed to noise. Actual prediction of TTS episodes in general populations may become a helpful tool in creating the hearing protection public health policy. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(1):125-38.

[An assessment of exposure to noise and temporary changes in hearing related to working as a fitness instructor]. / Ocena narazenia na halas i czasowych zmian sluchu zwiazanych z praca na stanowisku instruktora fitness.

BACKGROUND: Music is for many people an integral part of their lives. In recent years, loud music, whether recorded or played live, has been a significant source of noise. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between exposure to high sound levels and temporary threshold shift (TTS) in people working as fitness instructors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a total of 29 people (26 women and 3 men, age: 33±6 years) employed in 8 fitness clubs. The sound levels and the frequency characteristics of noise were assessed using individual dosimetry. Hearing threshold was evaluated by pre- and post-exposure pure tone audiometry (PTA), yielding a total of 116 audiograms. RESULTS: Occupational exposure of fitness instructors to noise lasted 60-120 min and the A-weighted sound pressure level (LAeq,T) in their workplace ranged 76.3-96.0 dBA (M = 87.1 dB). In 12% of individual measurements, the maximum admissible intensity (MAI) value for noise at the workplace was exceeded (MAI = 85 dB). In 41% of the surveyed instructors, a TTS of ≥6 dB at 4 kHz was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Fitness instructors may be a risk of hearing impairment related to their work. Med Pr. 2021;72(4):391-7.