Passive Smoking During the Periconceptional Period and Risk for Neural Tube Defects in Offspring - Five Counties, Shanxi Province, China, 2010-2016

Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy and its effects on Neural Tube Defects

Objectives

Maternal smoking is a potent teratogen among congenital malformations, however its role in the development of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) is still unclear. In this systematic review, we intend to further investigate the interaction of smoking during pregnancy and the incidence of NTDs.

Materials & Methods

This article was written according to PRISMA criteria from February 2015 and August 2022. After examining the four stages of PRISMA criteria, we selected clinical articles. These articles were selected from PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar (for results follow-up) databases. We gathered NTDs effect and types, smoking type and habit of parents, from neonates.

Results

Eventually, 8 articles were included by two separated authors, Smoking was associated with an increase NTDs in the population of pregnant mothers and also among children whose fathers smoked. The main side effects that were considered to be the cause of NTDs besides smoking were alcohol and BMI (18.5-24.9). Smoking also affects the level of folic acid as a substance with an essential role that affects the closure of the neural tube. folic acid available to infants changing along with the level of other blood elements such as zinc, that necessary prevent for NTDs condition.

Conclusion

Parental smoking can be considered as one of the strong teratogens in the occurrence of NTDs. Smoking, whether active or passive by the mother, or by the father, is associated with the occurrence of NTDs, In order to reduce the prevalence this disorder, we advise pregnant mothers and neonate's fathers to quit smoking.

Unveiling the hidden risk: paternal smoking and alcohol exposure prior to conception as independent factors for allergic rhinitis in children

Introduction

Limited knowledge exists regarding the impact of paternal smoking and alcohol exposure on the development of allergic rhinitis in offspring. Our study aimed to investigate the potential association between preconception paternal smoking and alcohol exposure and the likelihood of children allergic rhinitis.

Methods

A retrospective case-control study of 556 prepubertal children aged 3-12 years was performed. The participants were 278 children with allergic rhinitis and 278 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed and collected on-site, focusing on various factors related to the children's fathers, mothers, and the children themselves during the first year of life and the past 12 months, from March to October 2022.

Results

Multivariate analysis demonstrated that paternal smoking, paternal alcohol consumption prior to conception, paternal allergic diseases, children with a family history of allergies, maternal allergic diseases and pregnancy complications were identified as independent risk factors for allergic rhinitis in their offspring. Moreover, after considering confounding factors, it was observed that paternal smoking exceeding 5 cigarettes per day in the year preceding pregnancy and exceeding 11 years significantly elevated the likelihood of allergic rhinitis in children (OR = 2.009 and 2.479, respectively). Furthermore, the consumption of alcohol by the father at intervals of less than one month in the year prior to pregnancy and a duration of alcohol consumption exceeding 11 years prior to pregnancy are both associated with a significantly increased risk of allergic rhinitis in children (OR = 2.005 and 3.149, respectively).

Conclusions

Paternal smoking and alcohol consumption prior to conception contribute to an increased risk of allergic rhinitis in children, with the risk being dependent on the dosage and duration of exposure. Therefore, it is important to not only focus on personal and maternal environmental exposures when considering the occurrence risk of allergic rhinitis in children, but also to consider paternal detrimental exposures prior to conception.

Self-assembled core-shell nanoparticles with embedded internal standards for SERS quantitative detection and identification of nicotine released from snus products

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a unique analytical technique with excellent performance in terms of sensitivity, non-destructive detection and resolution. However, due to the randomness and poor repeatability of hot spot distribution, SERS quantitative analysis is still challenging. Meanwhile, snus is a type of tobacco product that can release nicotine and other components in the mouth without burning, and the rapid detection technique based on SERS can reliably evaluate the amount of nicotine released from snus, which is of great significance for understanding its characteristics and regulating its components. Herein, the strategy was proposed to solve the feasibility of SERS quantitative detection based on self-assembled core-shell nanoparticles with embedded internal standards (EIS) due to EIS signal can effectively correct SERS signal fluctuations caused by different aggregation states and measurement conditions, thus allowing reliable quantitative SERS analysis of targets with different surface affinity. By means of process control, after the Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) were modified with 4-Mercaptobenzonitrile (4-MBN) as internal standard molecules, Ag shell with a certain thickness was grown on the surface of the AuNP@4-MBN, and then the Au@4-MBN@Ag NPs were used to regulate and control the assembly of liquid-liquid interface. The high-density nano-arrays assembled at the liquid-liquid interface ensure high reproducibility as SERS substrates, and which could be used for SERS detection of nicotine released from snus products. In addition, time-mapping research shows that this method can also be used to dynamically monitor the release of nicotine. Moreover, such destruction-free evaluation of the release of nicotine from snus products opens up new perspectives for further research about the impact of nicotinoids-related health programs.

The volatile release evaluation of nicotine from snus products under different storage conditions based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technology

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive analytical detection technique that provides unique chemical and structural information on target molecules. Snus is a type of tobacco product that can release nicotine and other components under certain humidity and temperature without burning, and the evaluation of its nicotine release under different storage conditions is very important for understanding its characteristics, regulating its components, and setting reasonable storage conditions. Herein, by means of an artificial climate box and suction extraction device, the volatile release evaluations of nicotine from snus products under different storage conditions were performed based on Fe3O4 microparticles coated with Au nanorods and Au nanoparticles (Fe3O4@AuNRsNPs) as SERS substrates combined with a capillary. The Fe3O4@AuNRsNPs assemblies can be fixed in the inner wall of the capillary with the aid of an external magnetic field, which improved the maneuverability of the SERS substrates. By comparing the intensities of the spectral peaks of the symmetrical breathing of the pyridine moiety of nicotine molecules with increasing temperature and humidity, which could significantly accelerate the volatile release of a small amount of nicotine, the nicotine release under different conditions could be evaluated. Based on this strategy, it was possible to obtain the storage or placement conditions of the product. The results of this study provide a reference to clarify the volatile release of nicotine under various storage conditions, which is helpful for better regulation of the levels of nicotine in snus. Moreover, such destruction-free evaluation of the volatile release of nicotine from snus products under different storage conditions opens up new perspectives for further research about the impact of nicotinoids on smokers' health and cessation programs.

Indoor air pollution from coal combustion and tobacco smoke during the periconceptional period and risk for neural tube defects in offspring in five rural counties of Shanxi Province, China, 2010-2016

Indoor air pollution may increase the risk for neural tube defects (NTDs) in Chinese rural populations. However, this association remains a subject of debate. We conducted a population-based case-control study of 222 NTD and 517 control mothers recruited between 2010 and 2016 in five rural areas in northern China. An indoor air pollution exposure evaluation index (IAPEEI) was used to evaluate mothers' exposure to tobacco-sourced and coal-sourced indoor air pollution. Essential characteristics were collected using structured questionnaires within 10 days of delivery. We found that exposure to indoor air pollution (IAPEEI ≥ 1) can lead to 3.41 times the risk of conceiving NTD fetuses compared with the no-exposure group (IAPEEI = 0) (adjusted odds ratio and 95 % confidence interval: 3.41 [2.34-5.02]). The risk increased with increasing IAPEEI score, indicating a clear dose-response trend (P < 0.001). Using a coal stove for heating (especially in the bedroom) and passive smoking are significantly associated with an increased likelihood of NTD occurrence. Exposure to indoor air pollution is a daily reality for rural women in China, and its impact on reproductive health deserves extensive attention.