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1. Corporate Crime and the Use of Science in the Case of Asbestos: Producing Harm Through Discursive Shields

   https://doi.org/10.1177/2631309X20978718  

   de Nardin Budó, Marília (June 2021, Journal of White Collar and Corporate Crime)

   This article focuses on the normalization of victimization and harms caused by asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral fiber. To understand the role played by science in hiding the wounds and deaths caused by corporations, the article starts presenting the example of Brazil, where scientific discourse of foreign experts with industry ties are influencing regulation. From there, I examine the disputes for truth in six different medical journals through grounded theory. The results show that authors use some strategies to achieve credibility: avoiding to acknowlegde industry funding; constructing a specific meaning for the controversy about asbestos risks; and reflecting about the consequences os research misconducts. The ways of thinking about asbestos riks and harms are migrating through the international division of scientific labor, both to spread harm and to avoid liability of powerful agents. 

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2. A Review of the Talc Industry’s Influence on Federal Regulation and Scientific Standards for Asbestos in Talc

   https://doi.org/10.1177/1048291121996645  

   Bird, Tess; Steffen, Joan E.; Tran, Triet H.; Egilman, David S. (August 2021, NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy)

   The talc industry and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have asserted that talc has been asbestos-free since 1976 when the industry created a voluntary specification for the asbestos content of cosmetic talc. However, recent evidence reveals that cosmetic talc is not and never was asbestos-free. This narrative review examines the talc industry’s role in delaying and ultimately blocking federal regulation of cosmetic talc from the 1970s to today. We review primary source material, including corporate documents released in recent litigation and FDA documents released in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. Our results indicate that the talc industry exerted considerable influence over three key areas: regulatory proceedings at the FDA; testing methods and the manipulation of test results (including undisclosed results); and press coverage and the medical literature. The talc companies’ actions and FDA indifference have had a lasting effect on consumer health, including the regulation of talc by other government agencies. 

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3. BAP1 forms a trimer with HMGB1 and HDAC1 that modulates gene × environment interaction with asbestos

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111946118  

   Novelli, Flavia; Bononi, Angela; Wang, Qian; Bai, Fang; Patergnani, Simone; Kricek, Franz; Haglund, Ellinor; Suarez, Joelle S.; Tanji, Mika; Xu, Ronghui; et al (November 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   Carriers of heterozygous germline BAP1 mutations ( BAP1 +/− ) are affected by the “BAP1 cancer syndrome.” Although they can develop almost any cancer type, they are unusually susceptible to asbestos carcinogenesis and mesothelioma. Here we investigate why among all carcinogens, BAP1 mutations cooperate with asbestos. Asbestos carcinogenesis and mesothelioma have been linked to a chronic inflammatory process promoted by the extracellular release of the high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1). We report that BAP1 +/− cells secrete increased amounts of HMGB1, and that BAP1 +/− carriers have detectable serum levels of acetylated HMGB1 that further increase when they develop mesothelioma. We linked these findings to our discovery that BAP1 forms a trimeric protein complex with HMGB1 and with histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) that modulates HMGB1 acetylation and its release. Reduced BAP1 levels caused increased ubiquitylation and degradation of HDAC1, leading to increased acetylation of HMGB1 and its active secretion that in turn promoted mesothelial cell transformation. 

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4. Germline BARD1 variants predispose to mesothelioma by impairing DNA repair and calcium signaling

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2405231121  

   Novelli, Flavia; Yoshikawa, Yoshie; Vitto, Veronica_Angela Maria; Modesti, Lorenzo; Minaai, Michael; Pastorino, Sandra; Emi, Mitsuru; Kim, Jin-Hee; Kricek, Franz; Bai, Fang; et al (July 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   We report that ~1.8% of all mesothelioma patients and 4.9% of those younger than 55, carry rare germline variants of the BRCA1 associated RING domain 1 (BARD1)gene that were predicted to be damaging by computational analyses. We conducted functional assays, essential for accurate interpretation of missense variants, in primary fibroblasts that we established in tissue culture from a patient carrying the heterozygousBARD1^V523Amutation. We found that these cells had genomic instability, reduced DNA repair, and impaired apoptosis. Investigating the underlying signaling pathways, we found that BARD1 forms a trimeric protein complex with p53 and SERCA2 that regulates calcium signaling and apoptosis. We validated these findings inBARD1-silenced primary human mesothelial cells exposed to asbestos. Our study elucidated mechanisms ofBARD1activity and revealed that heterozygous germlineBARD1mutations favor the development of mesothelioma and increase the susceptibility to asbestos carcinogenesis. These mesotheliomas are significantly less aggressive compared to mesotheliomas in asbestos workers. 

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5. Semiconductor aspects of the oxyfuel cutting torch preheat flame; Part I: Measurements between torch and work

   Martin, Christopher; Pond, Teresa; Tomas, Jacob; Schmit, Jenna; Miguel, Erikson; Untaroiu, Alex; Xu, Kemu (June 2020, Proceedings of the ASME Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference)

   This two-part paper presents precise measurements of the ion currents passing between the torch and work piece of the preheat flame of an oxyfuel cutting torch as a means for replacing contemporary sensing suites. Part I shows that the current-voltage characteristic of the flame exhibits sharp discontinuities common to semi-conductors that we study in various configurations including preheat, pierce, cut, and loss-of-cut. Standoff measurements are made by applying a sinusoidal current signal between the torch and work piece while the resulting voltage amplitude is an indication of flame resistance. Uncertainties are estimated to range from 0.5mm to 1mm (.02in to .04in). Signals for ready-to-pierce and precursors for loss-of-cut are also produced due to the generation of secondary ions from chemical activity at the work piece. 

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