Available epidemiological evidence shows that many cancers share familial risks, and this is increasingly confirmed by data on shared pathogenic germline gene variants between cancers. We decided to harness the world's largest resource on familial cancer to assess discordant familial risks for female breast (BC), prostate (PC), colorectal (CRC), and lung (LC) cancers with any of 22 different cancers in first-degree relatives (proband cancers). Familial relative risk was calculated as standardized incidence ratio (SIR) when either one proband or 2 or more (2+) probands were found in a family to distinguish low- and high-risk associations. Discordant familial associations of BC were significant for 12 1-proband and 5 2+ proband cancers. For PC, the numbers were 11 and 4; for CRC, they were 8 and 4; and for LC, they were 15 and 5. The results with large case numbers showed that BC, CRC, and LC associated with each other, but the familial association between PC and LC was negative. Many known or novel associations with possible genetic causes were found, including lobular BC with stomach cancer, PC with kidney cancer, CRC with squamous cell skin and thyroid cancers, and LC with gallbladder and endocrine tumors, the most common of which were parathyroid adenomas. Also, LC associations with esophageal and cervical cancers were unlikely to be due to smoking alone and require additional explanations. In conclusion, 2/3 of discordant associations could suggest low-risk genetic and environmental causation and 1/3 high-risk genetic causation, both waiting for experimental proof.

The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) dumpsite in Brahmapuram, Kerala, India, experienced a massive fire incident that burned continuously for 12 days, releasing hazardous smoke and toxic emissions into the nearby areas. The ecological impact, particularly on the terrestrial toxicity of the legacy site resulting from the fire incident, was not thoroughly investigated. The study focuses on the physicochemical properties of MSW soil collected after the fire incident and its effects on Perionyx excavatus and plants using Ecotoxicological tests. The results showed the presence of microplastics such as linear low-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate in the MSW soil. The observation of metals like Ni, Co, Zn, Cr, Pb, and Hg in the legacy waste soil indicates the presence of contamination from both waste dumping and industrial sources. The highest bioaccumulation in earthworms from the MSW soil was Hg. No mortality of earthworms was observed in the acute toxicity test. In the chronic toxicity test, a higher number of cocoons and juveniles was observed in MSW soil. The histopathological analysis showed increased mucus secretion in the epidermal layer after 14 days, mild hyperplasia and fusion of villi in the intestinal epithelium after 28 days of exposure to MSW soil. The plant growth test with the MSW soil showed a significant increase in the root length of the pea, presumably due to the high nutrient content of the soil outweighing the effects of contaminants. Although there were no toxic effects observed in earthworms and plants exposed to the MSW dumpsite soil based on the acute/chronic toxicity studies, use of soil for agricultural/infrastructure purposes should be undertaken with caution, considering the bioaccumulation of contaminants in earthworms and possible leachates to plant parts.

A localized and quantitative fumigation moxibustion device for small animals was developed. The device consists of four components: an outer shell, a fumigation moxibustion chamber, fixing component, and adhesive component. It provides accurate positioning and stable moxibustion distance, enables real-time observation of the burning status and progress of moxa sticks, accommodates moxa sticks with different diameters, and has the advantages of convenient operation and high safety. However, the device is mainly applicable to acupoints on the head, face and back of laboratory animals, while its application to abdominal acupoints remains limited due to issues such as smoke backflow and difficulty in attachment.

Tobacco use disorder (TUD) remains a leading cause of preventable mortality, and existing pharmacotherapies yield 12-month abstinence rates below 30%. As cannabis legalization expands, approximately 18-22% of people who use tobacco report concurrent cannabis use, yet the impact of co-use on cessation outcomes and the therapeutic potential of endocannabinoid system (ECS) modulation remain unclear. We conducted a translational systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searching Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Web of Science through January 2026 (PROSPERO: CRD420250652724). Three study categories were eligible: observational studies of cannabis co-use and cessation outcomes; preclinical studies of cannabinoid modulators on nicotine-related behaviors; and human experimental studies of ECS-targeted interventions. Of 4,869 records screened, 52 studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of 18 observational studies (N=229,034) revealed that cannabis use was associated with 25% lower odds of achieving tobacco cessation (OR=0.75; 95% CI: 0.67-0.83; p<0.0001; I[2]=81.1%). Preclinical evidence (15 studies) demonstrated that cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) antagonists robustly reduced nicotine self-administration and reinstatement, while cannabidiol (CBD) attenuated both nicotine intake and withdrawal without affecting food reinforcement. Clinical translation of CB1R inverse agonists failed due to psychiatric adverse effects, but CBD showed promise by reducing cigarette consumption by 40%, reversing attentional bias to smoking cues, and alleviating withdrawal severity. These findings distinguish naturalistic cannabis exposure from potentially beneficial targeted ECS modulation, and support CBD as a promising candidate for adequately powered tobacco cessation trials.

Fire emissions are environmental contaminants with hazardous effects on the environment and human health. Human exposure to fire emissions occurs mainly via inhalation and dermal contact, while buccal exposure concentrations remain largely underexplored. This work characterizes, for the first time, exposure to metal(loid)s and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the oral cavity during firefighting work, accounting for five occupational and personal-life variables. Paired spot saliva samples were collected by 58 firefighters [organized in 4 groups: non-smoker non-exposed (NSNE), non-smoker exposed (NSE), smoker non-exposed (SNE), and smoker exposed (SE)] pre- and post-firefighting work. About 65-67% of firefighters showed increased metal(loid) and PAH levels after firefighting, with greater increments observed in smokers than in non-smokers. ∑metal(loid)s (18.7-28.6 μg/L) were up to 1.5x increase in SE than in NSNE, with Cu and Sr as the most abundant metals; similar findings were found for toxic/carcinogenic metal(loid)s (1.06-1.75 μg/L). ∑PAHs (1.19-1.40 μg/L) were slightly increased in NSE participants with seven detected compounds (naphthalene > phenanthrene > fluorene > anthracene > fluoranthene > pyrene) in all participants. Evidence suggests the potential bioaccumulation of metal(loid)s with the increase of BMI. Participants exposed to fires for more than 1h presented up to 1.8-2.1 higher salivary metal(loid)s compared to those exposed for less than 1h. NSNE firefighters with longer careers (> 10 years) presented 2.3x increased levels than those with less than 10 years. Salivary content represents a biomonitoring exploratory screening used in a toxicological screening based on conventional environmental risk assessment. Benzo(a)pyrene total toxicity equivalent concentrations and average daily potential dose were low with negligible non-carcinogenic (<1) risks and predominantly acceptable carcinogenic risks (10[-6] - 10[-4]). Overall, smoking and firefighting work increase salivary PAHs and meta(loid)s levels despite personal protective equipment use. These findings motivate targeted strategies to reduce exposure and promote long-term occupational and public health.