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Household Products (household + products)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences60%

Selected Abstracts

Antibiotics: Has the magic gone?

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 5 2007
Yogesh Chander
Abstract The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria has diminished the efficacy of several antibiotics that were used to treat infectious diseases in humans and animals. In recent years, the problem of antibiotic resistance has become more apparent as increasing numbers of bacteria have acquired resistance to multiple antibiotics. Antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth through a variety of mechanisms including inhibition of cell wall or protein synthesis, interference with DNA (or RNA) replication, and disruption of metabolic pathways or cell membrane. Bacteria develop resistance through genetic mutations or by acquiring resistant genes involved in the production of antibiotic degrading enzymes, overproduction of target molecules, efflux pumps to drain out antibiotics, and/or altered cell wall permeability to survive adverse physiological conditions. Published literature suggests that sub-therapeutic feeding of food animals for growth promotion along with casual use of antibiotics in household products such as soaps and creams is contributing to increased antimicrobial resistance in the environment. If steps are not taken to minimize selective pressure on bacteria, the effectiveness of antibiotics (hailed as ,magic bullets') may be marginalized. Important steps in the judicious use of antibiotics on the farm are: (1) education of farmers on the pitfalls of using antibiotics sub-therapeutically in the production of food animals; (2) development of animal production practices that reduce dependence on antibiotics; and (3) development of manure disposal practices that minimize the spread of residual antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment. In addition, educating the general public on the use and misuse of antibiotics in daily life is also important if there is to be any significant impact on reducing the environmental spread of antibiotic resistance. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source]

Introduction of flexible packaging systems for toiletry products

PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 5 2001
Yuji Ikeda
Abstract Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) are rapidly gaining in importance for manufacturers throughout the industrialized world. Lion Corporation is no exception in its need of FMS because of the great variety of toiletry and household products it produces. Toiletry products, such as toothpaste, detergent and shampoo, are our mainstay products, which account for 75% of our total sales. On our production lines, therefore, it is essential that they can be changed flexibly for the manufacture of ever-changing products. Introduced in this report are some of our flexible packaging systems, which use carriers, robots, standardized shampoo bottles, etc., without relying on special tools or new parts for line change. Innovation of our flexible packaging systems for greater flexibility and cost reduction will continue in the future. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Geographic distribution of autism in California: A retrospective birth cohort analysis,

AUTISM RESEARCH, Issue 1 2010
Karla C. Van Meter
Abstract Prenatal environmental exposures are among the risk factors being explored for associations with autism. We applied a new procedure combining multiple scan cluster detection tests to identify geographically defined areas of increased autism incidence. This procedure can serve as a first hypothesis-generating step aimed at localized environmental exposures, but would not be useful for assessing widely distributed exposures, such as household products, nor for exposures from nonpoint sources, such as traffic. Geocoded mothers' residences on 2,453,717 California birth records, 1996,2000, were analyzed including 9,900 autism cases recorded in the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) database through February 2006 which were matched to their corresponding birth records. We analyzed each of the 21 DDS Regional Center (RC) catchment areas separately because of the wide variation in diagnostic practices. Ten clusters of increased autism risk were identified in eight RC regions, and one Potential Cluster in each of two other RC regions. After determination of clusters, multiple mixed Poisson regression models were fit to assess differences in known demographic autism risk factors between the births within and outside areas of elevated autism incidence, independent of case status. Adjusted for other covariates, the majority of areas of autism clustering were characterized by high parental education, e.g. relative risks >4 for college-graduate vs. nonhigh-school graduate parents. This geographic association possibly occurs because RCs do not actively conduct case finding and parents with lower education are, for various reasons, less likely to successfully seek services. [source]

Adaptive drug resistance mediated by root,nodulation,cell division efflux pumps

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 2009
C. Daniels
Abstract Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a major therapeutic problem. Bacteria use the same mechanisms for developing resistance to antibiotics as they do for developing resistance to biocide compounds present in some cleaning and personal care products. Root,nodulation,cell division (RND) family efflux pumps are a common means of multidrug resistance, and induction of their expression can explain the observed cross-resistance found between antibiotics and biocides in laboratory strains. Hence, there is a relationship between the active chemicals used in household products, organic solvents and antibiotics. The widespread use of biocide-containing modern-day household products may promote the development of microbial resistance and, in particular, cross-resistance to antibiotics. [source]