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Ultrasonic essential oil diffusers (EODs) are a popular type of indoor scenting source. We performed a chamber study in which we measured the emissions from EODs used with lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, and grapeseed oils. Over the course of 15 min, the most abundant VOCs released from lemon, lavender, eucalyptus, and grapeseed oils were 2.6 ± 0.7 mg of d‐limonene, 3.5 ± 0.4 mg of eucalyptol, 1.0 ± 0.1 mg of linalyl acetate, and 0.2 ± 0.02 mg of linalyl acetate, respectively. Each oil had a unique particulate matter (PM) emission profile in terms of size, number density, and rate. The dominant size ranges of the PM were 10–100 nm for lemon oil, 50–100 nm for lavender oil, 10–50 nm for lemon oil, and above 200 nm for grapeseed oil. PM1 emission rates of approximately 2 mg/h, 0.1 mg/h, and 3 mg/h, were observed for lemon, lavender/eucalyptus, and grapeseed oils, respectively. A fivefold increase in PM1 emission was measured when the EOD with eucalyptus oil was filled with tap water as opposed to deionized water. Modeling suggests that reasonable use cases of EODs can contribute substantially to primary and secondary PM in indoor environments, but this potential varies depending on the oil and water types used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public Health Ontario (PHO) is mandated by legislation to share scientific advice during infectious disease outbreaks and help reduce health inequities in Ontario, Canada. PHO was founded in part to address the failures of Ontario's public health system during the 2003 outbreak of SARS-CoV-1, which included the failure to address airborne transmission. By January 2021, public health authorities had access to a body of literature suggesting SARS-CoV-2 was airborne, and had received urgent warnings from scientists. We set out to document how PHO responded to the likelihood – and, eventually, the certainty – of airborne transmission in the context of its guidance for congregate settings such as long-term care and shelters. In October 2021, we reviewed PHO's public, written COVID-19 guidance for these settings, with a focus on indoor air quality (IAQ) measures that mitigate airborne transmission, such as ventilation. We identified 11 PHO documents for congregate settings. They contained no references to IAQ measures. We did, however, find references to IAQ measures in parallel documents for schools, summer camps, and clinical offices. Our findings demonstrate PHO omitted key infection prevention measures from its COVID-19 guidance for congregate settings, putting workers and residents at greater risk of exposure, illness and death, and exacerbating health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Radon (222Rn) and progenies emanate from soil and building components and can create an indoor air quality hazard. In this study, nine concrete constituents, including the supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) fly ash and metakaolin, were used to create eleven different concrete mixtures. We investigated the effect of constituent radium specific activity, radon effective activity and emanation fraction on the concrete emanation fraction and the radon exhalation rate. Given the serious health effects associated with radionuclide exposure, experimental results were coupled with Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate predictive differences in the indoor radon concentration due to concrete mixture design. The results from this study show that, on average, fly ash constituents possessed radium specific activities ranging from 100Bq/kg to 200Bq/kg and emanation fractions ranging from 1.1% to 2.5%. The lowest emitting concrete mixture containing fly ash resulted in a 3.4% reduction in the concrete emanation fraction, owing to the relatively low emanation that exists when fly ash is part of concrete. On average, the metakaolin constituents contained radium specific activities ranging from 67Bq/kg to 600Bq/kg and emanation fractions ranging from 8.4% to 15.5%, and changed the total concrete emanation fraction by roughly ±5% relative to control samples. The results from this study suggest that SCMs can reduce indoor radon exposure from concrete, contingent upon SCM radionucleotide content and emanation fraction. Lastly, the experimental results provide SCM-specific concrete emanation fractions for indoor radon exposure modeling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ozone reactions that occur on material surfaces can lead to elevated concentrations of oxidized products in the occupied space of buildings. However, there is little information on the impact of materials at full scale, especially for green building materials. Experiments were completed in a 68 m3 climate-controlled test chamber with three certified green building materials that can cover large areas in buildings: (1) recycled carpet, (2) perlite-based ceiling tile and (3) low-VOC paint and primer on recycled drywall. Ozone deposition velocity and primary and secondary emission rates of C1 to C10 saturated carbonyls were determined for two chamber mixing conditions and three values of relative humidity. A direct comparison was made between ozone deposition velocities and carbonyl yields observed for the same materials analyzed in small (10 L) chambers. Total primary carbonyl emission rates from carpet, ceiling tile and painted drywall ranged from 27 to 120 μg m−2 h−1, 13 to 40 μg m−2 h−1, 3.9 to 42 μg m−2 h−1, respectively. Ozone deposition velocity to these three materials averaged 6.1 m h−1, 2.3 m h−1 and 0.32 m h−1, respectively. Total secondary carbonyl emissions from these materials ranged from 70 to 276 μg m−2 h−1, 0 to 12 μg m−2 h−1, and 0 to 30 μg m−2 h−1, respectively. Carbonyl emissions were determined with a transient approximation, and were found to be in general agreement with those found in the literature. These results suggest that care should be taken when selecting green building materials due to potentially large differences in primary and secondary emissions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The benefits of nanofibrous media have been extensively explored in laboratory-scale research but are less clear in real filtration applications. Thus, this study investigated the links between the size-resolved filtration efficiency of nanofibrous media mounted in portable air cleaners in a chamber test and results from the media mounted in a cone-shape filter holder in a more conventional duct test. Results showed a similar trend for the filtration efficiency curves for these two experimental tests, despite differences in test type, challenge aerosol, instrumentation, and the calculation of filtration efficiency. Long-term operation, surface area blockage, and isopropyl alcohol treatment adversely impacted the filtration efficiency of the tested nanofibrous media in the chamber test, with a different magnitude of impact for three different media tested. The filtration efficiencies were lower than most of the previously reported data in the literature, which may be due to the differences in medium type, fiber diameter, filter thickness, porosity, face velocity, filter charge, and the number of filter layers. This study suggests the needs for determining the performance of nanofibrous media in terms of filtration efficiency and quality factor in real environmental systems. Copyright © 2021 American Association for Aerosol Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of filtration on energy use in residences based on yearlong measurements in 19 homes in Toronto, Canada. Results show that permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor fans drew approximately 40% more power than electronically commutated motor (ECM) fans and the median efficacy (flow divided by power) of ECM fans was 43% higher than that of PSC motor fans. In response to a pressure drop of 150 Pa, ECM fans drew more power (46% − 58% increase) and generally tended to maintain airflow rate, while PSC motor fans drew less power (10% − 23% decrease), but generally tended to reduce airflow rate. Filter pressure drop was not strongly correlated with filter nominal efficiency; thus, the use of higher-efficiency filters may not impact fan power draw. Fan energy consequences of high-efficiency filters are negligible in our sample, and because HVAC runtimes were generally low (median = 11%), the difference between the energy consumption of ECM and PSC motor fans at typical runtimes was small (less than 10 kWh per month). Filters in systems with ECM fans have higher effectiveness per unit of power draw than those in systems with PSC motor fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the publication of the last American Heart Association scientific statement on air pollution and cardiovascular disease in 2010, unequivocal evidence of the causal role of fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5, or particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in diameter) in cardiovascular disease has emerged. There is a compelling case to provide the public with practical personalized approaches to reduce the health effects of PM2.5. Such interventions would be applicable not only to individuals in heavily polluted countries, high-risk or susceptible individuals living in cleaner environments, and microenvironments with higher pollution exposures, but also to those traveling to locations with high levels of PM2.5. The overarching motivation for this document is to summarize the current evidence supporting personal-level strategies to prevent the adverse cardiovascular effects of PM2.5, guide the use of the most proven/viable approaches, obviate the use of ineffective measures, and avoid unwarranted interventions. The significance of this statement relates not only to the global importance of PM2.5, but also to its focus on the most tested interventions and viable approaches directed at particulate matter air pollution. The writing group sought to provide expert consensus opinions on personal-level measures recognizing the current uncertainty and limited evidence base for many interventions. In doing so, the writing group acknowledges that its intent is to assist other agencies charged with protecting public health, without minimizing the personal choice considerations of an individual who may decide to use these interventions in the face of ongoing air pollution exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Phthalates and organophosphates are ubiquitous indoor semi-volatile organic contaminants (SVOCs) that have been widely used as plasticizers and flame retardants in consumer products. Although many studies have assessed their levels in house dust, only a few used dust samples captured by filters of building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. HVAC filters collect particles from large volumes of air over a long period of time (potentially known) and thus provide a spatially and temporally integrated concentration. This study measured concentrations of phthalates and organophosphates in HVAC filter dust and settled floor dust collected from low-income homes in Texas, United States, in both the summer and winter seasons. The most frequently detected compounds were benzyl butyl phthalate (BBzP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), and tris (1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP). The median level of TCIPP in settled dust was 3- to 180-times higher than levels reported in other studies of residential homes. Significantly higher concentrations were observed in HVAC filter dust as compared to settled dust for most of the frequently detected compounds in both seasons, except for several phthalates in the winter. SVOC concentrations in settled dust in winter were generally higher than in summer, while different seasonality patterns were found for HVAC filter dust. Settled dust samples from homes with vinyl flooring contained significantly higher levels of BBzP and DEHP as compared to homes with other types of floor material. The concentration of DEHP and TDCIPP in settled dust also significantly associated with the presence of carpet in homes. Cleaning activities to remove dust from furniture actually increased the levels of certain compounds in HVAC filter dust, while frequent vacuuming of carpet helped to decrease the concentrations of some compounds in settled dust. Additionally, the size and age of a given house also correlated with the levels of some pollutants in dust. A statistically significant association between DEHP concentration in HVAC filter dust in summer and the severity of asthma in children was observed. These results suggest that HVAC filter dust represents a useful sampling medium to monitor indoor SVOC concentrations with high sensitivity; in contrast, when using settled dust, in addition to consideration of seasonal influences, it is critical to know the sampling location because the type and level of SVOCs may be related to local materials used there. Highlights • Phthalates and organophosphates were detected in HVAC filter dust and settled dust of U.S. low-income homes • Significantly higher SVOC concentrations in HVAC filter dust than in settled dust were observed • Different seasonality patterns were found between SVOC concentrations in settled dust and in HVAC filter dust • Significant associations between SVOC concentrations in dust and building characteristics were observed • Severity of asthma in children was significantly associated with DEHP concentration in HVAC filter dust in summer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Retail stores contain a wide range of products that can emit a variety of indoor pollutants. Among these chemicals, phthalate esters and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are two important categories, because they are extensively used as additives in consumer products and associated with serious health concerns. This study measured six phthalate and 14 PBDE compounds inside of 12 retail stores in Texas and Pennsylvania, U.S. Phthalates and PBDEs were widely found in the retail environment, indicating that they are ubiquitous indoor air pollutants. DEP, DnBP, and DEHP were the most abundant phthalates, with DnBP showing the highest concentration (0.23 ± 0.36 μg m−3). PBDEs were dominated by BDE-28, -99, and -209, having concentrations as high as 0.85 ± 1.99 ng m−3 (BDE-99). The levels of phthalates and PBDEs measured in this study are comparable to concentrations found in previous investigations of residential buildings, with phthalates showing lower concentrations and PBDEs exhibiting higher concentrations in retail stores. The potential co-occurrence of phthalates was not as strong as that of PBDEs, suggesting that phthalates might have more diverse sources. Whole building emission rates were calculated and showed similar patterns of variations as indoor air concentrations, suggestion the diversity of indoor sources of phthalates and PBDEs in retail environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Infliximab is a humanized antibody against tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) that is used in the treatment of Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Approximately 147,000 patients throughout the world have received infliximab. Excess TNF-α in association with tuberculosis may cause weight loss and night sweats, yet in animal models it has a protective role in the host response to tuberculosis. There is no direct evidence of a protective role of TNF-α in patients with tuberculosis. Methods: We analyzed all reports of tuberculosis after infliximab therapy that had been received as of May 29, 2001, through the MedWatch spontaneous reporting system of the Food and Drug Administration. Results: There were 70 reported cases of tuberculosis after treatment with infliximab for a median of 12 weeks. In 48 patients, tuberculosis developed after three or fewer infusions. Forty of the patients had extrapulmonary disease (17 had disseminated disease, 11 lymph-node disease, 4 peritoneal disease, 2 pleural disease, and 1 each meningeal, enteric, paravertebral, bone, genital, and bladder disease). The diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy in 33 patients. Of the 70 reports, 64 were from countries with a low incidence of tuberculosis. The reported frequency of tuberculosis in association with infliximab therapy was much higher than the reported frequency of other opportunistic infections associated with this drug. In addition, the rate of reported cases of tuberculosis among patients treated with infliximab was higher than the available background rates. Conclusions: Active tuberculosis may develop soon after the initiation of treatment with infliximab. Before prescribing the drug, physicians should screen patients for latent tuberculosis infection or disease. (N Engl J Med 2001;345:1098-104.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian public health advisors and politicians have shared mixed messages about the utility of portable air filters (PAFs) for mitigating the transmission of airborne infectious diseases. Some public health advisors and decision-makers have also suggested that PAFs are cumbersome or require expert advice. We take this opportunity to review evidence and address myths about PAFs. In short, PAFs are an important tool to help reduce the risk of transmission of airborne infectious diseases. Moreover, PAFs are relatively simple to use, and there is a variety of high-quality guidance available for their deployment. We share this science here with the expectation that, going forward, public health authorities will position PAFs appropriately in infection prevention and control plans for both health care and community settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests. JS has received in-kind donations or discounts on portable air cleaners, replacement filters, and low-cost sensors to support his research program., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aerosolized particles with a biological origin are called bioaerosols. Bioaerosols from plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and viruses are an important class of environmental exposures that are clinically relevant to asthma. However, there are important differences in the pathways by which various bioaerosols affect asthma. Additionally, differences in individual susceptibility to different bioaerosols affect exposure reduction and mitigation strategies. Strategies to reduce exposures to potential triggers of asthma are routinely considered as part of standard clinical care and asthma management guidelines. Ventilation standards in buildings may reduce bioaerosol exposure for everyone, but they are not necessarily designed specifically to protect patients with asthma. Direct measurement of a bioaerosol is not generally necessary for practical applications where the relevant source of the bioaerosol has been identified. Different types of bioaerosols can be controlled with similar strategies that prioritize source control (eg, reducing resuspension, integrated pest management, controlling moisture), and these can be supplemented by enhancing air filtration. The goal of this review is to summarize the latest information on bioaerosols, including allergens, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, that have been associated with adverse asthma outcomes and to discuss mitigation options., Competing Interests: Disclosure statement Funding was received from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (grant OHHHU0057-20), the National Science Foundation (grant 1942501), and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grant P30 ES009089). The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under an award with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the US government. Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: K. C. Dannemiller has over the past 5 years received honoraria and/or travel support for speaking at university seminars and academic conferences. K. C. Dannemiller and J. C. King have submitted a patent application related to development of a new mold detection strategy. S. R. Haines has over the past 5 years received honoraria and/or travel support for speaking at an event/webinars. Y. J. Huang has over the past 5 years received honoraria and/or travel support for speaking at professional society meetings and academic conferences; received consultant fees/stock options as a scientific advisor for Alveolus Bio; and has received support for investigator-initiated research studies from Regeneron and Sanofi. J. C. King has received travel support for speaking at an academic conference. L. C. Marr has over the past 5 years received honoraria and/or travel support for speaking at an event/webinars. A. Shamblin has received travel support for attending an academic conference. J. A. Siegel reports receipt of honoraria and/or travel support for speaking at an event/webinars; donations of air cleaners to support his research program; and receipt of consulting fees for expert witness reports and testimony, with sources including air-cleaning and HVAC equipment manufacturers, testing/measurement equipment manufacturers, Canadian and US government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and law firms. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In May 2022, there is an International Regulatory and Pharmaceutical Industry (Innovation and Quality [IQ] Microphysiological Systems [MPS] Affiliate) Workshop on the standardization of complex in vitro models (CIVMs) in drug development. This manuscript summarizes the discussions and conclusions of this joint workshop organized and executed by the IQ MPS Affiliate and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A key objective of the workshop is to facilitate discussions around opportunities and/or needs for standardization of MPS and chart potential pathways to increase model utilization in the context of regulatory decision making. Participation in the workshop included 200 attendees from the FDA, IQ MPS Affiliate, and 26 global regulatory organizations and affiliated parties representing Europe, Japan, and Canada. It is agreed that understanding global perspectives regarding the readiness of CIVM/MPS models for regulatory decision making and potential pathways to gaining acceptance is useful to align on globally. The obstacles are currently too great to develop standards for every context of use (COU). Instead, it is suggested that a more tractable approach may be to think of broadly applicable standards that can be applied regardless of COU and/or organ system. Considerations and next steps for this effort are described., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: Low socioeconomic status (SES) residents living in social housing, which is subsidized by government or government-funded agencies, may have higher exposures to pesticides used in indoor residences since pesticides are applied due to structural deficiencies, poor maintenance, etc. OBJECTIVE: To estimate exposure of residents in low-SES social housing built in the 1970s to legacy and current-use pesticides and to investigate factors related to exposures., Methods: Twenty-eight particle-phase pesticides were measured in the indoor air of 46 units in seven low-income social housing, multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) in Toronto, Canada using portable air cleaners deployed for 1 week in 2017. Pesticides analyzed were legacy and current use in the classes: organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and strobilurins., Results: At least one pesticide was detected in 89% of the units with detection frequencies (DF) for individual pesticides of up to 50%, including legacy organochlorines and current-use pesticides. Current-use pyrethroids had the highest DF and concentrations, with the highest particle-phase concentration for pyrethrin I at 32,000 pg/m 3 . Heptachlor, restricted for use in Canada in 1985, had the highest estimated maximum total air (particle plus gas phase) concentration of 443,000 pg/m 3 . Heptachlor, lindane, endosulfan I, chlorothalonil, allethrin, and permethrin (except in one study) had higher concentrations than those measured in low-income residences reported elsewhere. In addition to the intentional use of pesticides to control pests and their use in building materials and paints, tobacco smoking was significantly correlated with the concentrations of five pesticides used on tobacco crops. The distribution of pesticides with high DF in individual buildings suggested that pest eradication programs by the building management and/or pesticide use by residents were the major sources of measured pesticides., Impact: Low-income social housing fills a much-needed demand, but the residences are prone to pest infestation and hence pesticide use. We found exposure to at least 1 of 28 particle-phase pesticides in 89% of all 46 units tested, with the highest DF and concentrations for current-use pyrethroids and long-banned organochlorines (e.g., DDT, heptachlor) due to very high persistence indoors. Also measured were several pesticides not registered for use indoors, e.g., strobilurins used to treat building materials and pesticides used on tobacco crops. These results, which are the first Canadian data for most pesticides indoors, show widespread exposure to numerous pesticides., (© 2024. Crown.)

Low-cost air quality monitors are increasingly being deployed in various indoor environments. However, data of high temporal resolution from those sensors are often summarized into a single mean value, with information about pollutant dynamics discarded. Further, low-cost sensors often suffer from limitations such as a lack of absolute accuracy and drift over time. There is a growing interest in utilizing data science and machine learning techniques to overcome those limitations and take full advantage of low-cost sensors. In this study, we developed an unsupervised machine learning model for automatically recognizing decay periods from concentration time series data and estimating pollutant loss rates. The model uses k-means and DBSCAN clustering to extract decays and then mass balance equations to estimate loss rates. Applications on data collected from various environments suggest that the CO 2 loss rate was consistently lower than the PM 2.5 loss rate in the same environment, while both varied spatially and temporally. Further, detailed protocols were established to select optimal model hyperparameters and filter out results with high uncertainty. Overall, this model provides a novel solution to monitoring pollutant removal rates with potentially wide applications such as evaluating filtration and ventilation and characterizing indoor emission sources.

Objective: To summarize proceedings of a workshop convened to discuss the current state of science in the disease of osteoarthritis (OA), identify the knowledge gaps, and examine the developmental and regulatory challenges in bringing these products to market., Design: Summary of the one-day workshop held virtually on June 22nd, 2021., Results: Speakers selected by the Planning Committee presented data on the current approach to assessment of OA therapies, biomarkers in OA drug development, and the assessment of disease progression and long-term benefit., Conclusions: Demonstrated by numerous failed clinical trials, OA is a challenging disease for which to develop therapeutics. The challenge is magnified by the slow time of onset of disease and the need for clinical trials of long duration and/or large sample size to demonstrate the effect of an intervention. The OA science community, including academia, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and patient communities, must continue to develop and test better clinical endpoints that meaningfully reflect disease modification related to long-term patient benefit., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest One or more of the authors has received or will receive benefits for personal or professional use from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Evidence suggests that human exposure to airborne particles and associated contaminants, including respiratory pathogens, can persist beyond a single microenvironment. By accumulating such contaminants from air, clothing may function as a transport vector and source of "secondary exposure". To investigate this function, a novel microenvironmental exposure modeling framework (ABICAM) was developed. This framework was applied to a para-occupational exposure scenario involving the deposition of viable SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory particles (0.5-20 μm) from a primary source onto clothing in a nonhealthcare setting and subsequent resuspension and secondary exposure in a car and home. Variability was assessed through Monte Carlo simulations. The total volume of infectious particles on the occupant's clothing immediately after work was 4800 μm 3 (5th-95th percentiles: 870-32 000 μm 3 ). This value was 61% (5-95%: 17-300%) of the occupant's primary inhalation exposure in the workplace while unmasked. By arrival at the occupant's home after a car commute, relatively rapid viral inactivation on cotton clothing had reduced the infectious volume on clothing by 80% (5-95%: 26-99%). Secondary inhalation exposure (after work) was low in the absence of close proximity and physical contact with contaminated clothing. In comparison, the average primary inhalation exposure in the workplace was higher by about 2-3 orders of magnitude. It remains theoretically possible that resuspension and physical contact with contaminated clothing can occasionally transmit SARS-CoV-2 between humans.

Rationale: Tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, had no statistically significant effect on skin sclerosis but preserved lung function over 48 weeks in patients with early systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) in a phase 3 randomized controlled trial. Objectives: Assess long-term safety and efficacy of tocilizumab. Methods: Adults with diffuse cutaneous SSc for ⩽60 months and elevated acute-phase reactants, including those with ILD, received weekly placebo or tocilizumab 162 mg subcutaneously in the 48-week, double-blind period and then open-label tocilizumab from Weeks 48 to 96 (placebo-tocilizumab; continuous-tocilizumab). Measurements and Main Results: Eighty-two of 107 patients in the placebo-tocilizumab group and 85 of 105 patients in the continuous-tocilizumab group completed 96 weeks. Mean age and disease duration were 48 years and 23 months; high-resolution computed tomography revealed ILD in 61%. Mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) change in modified Rodnan skin score from baseline to week 96 was -8.4 (-10.0 to -6.8) for placebo-tocilizumab and -9.6 (-10.9 to -8.4) for continuous-tocilizumab. Mean (95% CI) change in FVC (percent predicted) from baseline to week 96 was -3.3 (-5.1 to -1.5) for placebo-tocilizumab and -0.5 (-2.4 to 1.3) for continuous-tocilizumab among completers and, in a post hoc analysis, -4.1 (-6.7 to -1.6) and -0.6 (-3.1 to 2.0), respectively, among completers with ILD (mean [95% CI] change from Weeks 48 to 96: 0.9 [-0.8 to 2.7] and -0.4 [-2.3 to 1.5], respectively). Rates per 100 patient-years of serious adverse events from Weeks 48 to 96 were 14.8 for placebo-tocilizumab and 15.8 for continuous-tocilizumab. Conclusions: Tocilizumab preserved lung function, slowing decline in FVC, in patients with SSc, including those with ILD. Long-term safety was consistent with the known safety profile of tocilizumab. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02453256).

Following a comprehensive and coordinated effort between CBER and CDER, FDA established a table of acceptable surrogate endpoints (SEs) to support drug marketing applications. The publicly accessible SE Table was first published in 2018 as a response to the 21st Century Cures Act legislation and is updated every 6 months to reflect current FDA thinking. The criteria for the table headings and content were chosen to foster succinctness and consistency, while reflecting the degree of scientific understanding for each listed SE. Prior to the publication of the SE table there was the misconception that FDA only approved drugs based on a limited number of SEs. Contrary to this viewpoint, the SE table demonstrates that FDA frequently uses SEs as they are used in over 100 disease/use and patient population combinations. This article describes the considerations and approach taken when establishing the SE table as well as a discussion of the benefits and limitations of the SE table when used by various stakeholders., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Agyeman, Siegel and Leptak.)

Background: Canadian children are widely exposed to phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from indoor sources. Both sets of compounds have been implicated in allergic symptoms in children., Objective: We characterize concentrations of eight phthalates and 12 PAHs in floor dust from the bedrooms of 79 children enrolled in the Kingston Allergy Birth Cohort (KABC)., Method: Floor dust was collected from the bedrooms of 79 children who underwent skin prick testing for common allergens after their first birthday. Data were collected on activities, household, and building characteristics via questionnaire., Results: Diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) and phenanthrene were the dominant phthalate and PAH with median concentrations of 561 µg/g and 341 ng/g, respectively. Benzyl butyl phthalate (BzBP) and chrysene had the highest variations among all tested homes, ranging from 1-95% to 1-99%, respectively., Significance: Some phthalates were significantly associated with product and material use such as diethyl phthalate (DEP) with fragranced products and DiNP and DiDP with vinyl materials. Some PAHs were significantly associated with household characteristics, such as benzo[a]pyrene with smoking, and phenanthrene and fluoranthene with the presence of an attached garage. Socioeconomic status (SES) had positive and negative relationships with some concentrations and some explanatory factors. No significant increases in risk of atopy (positive skin prick test) was found as a function of phthalate or PAH dust concentrations., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Water-soluble trace gas (WSTG) loss from indoor air via air conditioning (AC) units has been observed in several studies, but these results have been difficult to generalize. In the present study, we designed a box model that can be used to investigate and estimate WSTG removal due to partitioning to AC coil condensate. We compared the model output to measurements of a suite of organic acids cycling in an indoor environment and tested the model by varying the input AC parameters. These tests showed that WSTG loss via AC cycling is influenced by Henry's law constant of the compound in question, which is controlled by air and water temperatures and the condensate pH. Air conditioning unit specifications also impact WSTG loss through variations in the sensible heat ratio, the effective recirculation rate of air through the unit, and the timing of coil and fan operation. These findings have significant implications for indoor modeling. To accurately model the fate of indoor WSTGs, researchers must either measure or otherwise account for these unique environmental and operational characteristics.