The opportunities and challenges in future development of pharmaceutical products by HME technique are also discussed.Sterilization validation practices in the United States rely heavily on the destruction of microorganisms to establish that sufficient lethality has been delivered. The objective in many instances is demonstration of the poorly defined attainment of "overkill" throughout the load. The complete destruction of resistant spore formers is assumed to support the attainment of a minimum probability of a nonsterile unit (PNSU). In reality, the absence of recoverable microorganisms in sterilization cycle development and validation does not allow for accurate PNSU determination. This article outlines how a strategy inspired by that used for ISO 11137-2, VDMAX, with positive results can be used to fully support sterilization cycle efficacy. This article is intended to spark interest in a potentially novel approach to sterilization cycle development and can be refined once sufficient experience has been gained with it.Tobacco taxation is the most effective measure to reduce cigarette consumption and consequently improve public health outcomes. It is also an important source of government revenue. The presence of an illicit tobacco market diminishes the public health and fiscal gains of cigarette levies by making cheaper non-taxed cigarettes available. To date, the research on the extent of illicit tobacco trade in the Philippines, despite its potential to inform policies for controlling the supply of illicit cigarettes, has been limited. This study provides an estimate of the size of the illicit tobacco market in the Philippines from 1998 to 2018.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/beta-aminopropionitrile.html  It employs gap analysis comparing an estimate of the survey-based adult cigarette consumption with legally sold cigarettes in the Philippines. The illicit trade estimates are contrasted with the evolution of tax changes. The results show that the illicit cigarette market share dropped by 42% from 2003 to 2008 and by an additional 79% from 2008 to 2013. In spite of the large tax increases by the Philippine government through the Sin Tax Law starting from 2013 until 2018, the illicit share in 2018 remains similar to its 1998 level of 16% of the total market. Hence, our study finds no evidence of a positive relationship between tobacco taxes and size of illicit cigarette market in the Philippines.
  To assess whether the late 2019 US outbreak of pulmonary disease linked to vaping ('E-cigarette, or Vaping, product use Associated Lung Injury' (EVALI)) impacted online shopping queries for vaping products and the Philip Morris 'IQO' brand of heated tobacco.
 
  We tracked online shopping queries for vape(s), JUUL and IQOS by analysing rates of Google queries indicative of shopping (eg, buy IQOS) after news of the outbreak was first reported (the week of 29 July 2019) until hospitalisations ceased (the week of 16 February 2020). We compared observed rates of shopping during the outbreak to counterfactual expected rates that were predicted using an autoregressive iterative moving average model fit to queries from 1 January 2014 to the week of 21 July 2019.
 
  During the outbreak, vape shopping queries were 34% (95% CI 30% to 38%) lower than expected and JUUL shopping queries were 39% (95% CI 34% to 45%) lower than expected, translating into about 7.2 and 1.0 million fewer searches. IQOS shopping queries were 58% (95% prediction interval (PI) 34-87) higher than expected, translating into 35 000 more searches. Moreover, IQOS shopping queries reached a historic high the week they were discussed as a potentially safe alternative to vaping (the week of 29 September 2019), when they were 382% (95% PI 219-881) above expected rates for the week.
 
  These results suggest that unplanned events, such as the EVALI outbreak, can provoke changes in the epidemiology of product usage. Tobacco companies should be prohibited from using events such as disease outbreaks to position their products as less harmful without prior approval.
 These results suggest that unplanned events, such as the EVALI outbreak, can provoke changes in the epidemiology of product usage. Tobacco companies should be prohibited from using events such as disease outbreaks to position their products as less harmful without prior approval.
  To assess the awareness and prevalence of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and associated factors among Chinese adults (15 years and older).
 
  This study examined data from Global Adults Tobacco Survey China Project, which was nationally representative and used stratified multiphase cluster randomised sampling design. Data were collected in 2018 through a household survey with in-person interviews using tablet computers. Complex sampling weighted analysis method was used.
 
  48.5% of Chinese adults had heard of e-cigarettes. The proportions of Chinese adults who had ever used, had used in the last 12 months, and currently used e-cigarettes were 5.0%, 2.2% and 0.9%, respectively; people in the 15-24 years group showed the highest rates of ever use, last 12-month use and current use at 7.6%, 4.4%, and 1.5%, respectively. Among males, higher e-cigarette use was associated with 15-24 years age group, college/university or above education, and daily use of combustible cigarettes. Among all e-cigarette users, 90.6% also used combustible cigarettes. The most common reason for e-cigarette use was smoking cessation (46.2%) while among ever smokers, 9.5% of ever e-cigarette users had quit smoking and 21.8% of never e-cigarette users had quit smoking (adjusted OR 0.454, 95% CI 0.290 to 0.712).
 
  Prevalence of e-cigarettes among Chinese adults had increased since 2015, especially among young people aged 15-24. The high level of dual use and lower quit rate among e-cigarette users indicated e-cigarettes had not shown cessation utility at the population level in China. Regulation of e-cigarettes is needed to protect youth and minimise health risks.
 Prevalence of e-cigarettes among Chinese adults had increased since 2015, especially among young people aged 15-24. The high level of dual use and lower quit rate among e-cigarette users indicated e-cigarettes had not shown cessation utility at the population level in China. Regulation of e-cigarettes is needed to protect youth and minimise health risks.