Environmental Health Perspectives articles from April 2005

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from April 2005

Reinventing the wheels.(Guest Editorial)
April 1, 2005... Light-duty vehicles are amazing artifacts, made by the world's largest industry and fueled by the second-largest. American automakers make a new light vehicle every 2 seconds. Cheaper per kilogram than a fast-food hamburger, those vehicles meet...

A vision for the future.(DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE)
April 1, 2005... I am honored to step into the leadership of the NIEHS. As the institute's fourth director, I will strive to maintain the tradition of strong, insightful, and forward-thinking leadership of my predecessors Paul Kotin (1969-1971), David Rail...

Overlooked in Fallon?(Correspondence)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... The statistical examination of the Fallon childhood cancer cluster by Steinmaus et al. (2004) provides renewed justification for opening a larger window onto the expanse of possibilities regarding a possible cause for this extraordinary...

"Arsenic in food": opinion parading as science.(Correspondence)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... I write in response to apparent serious errors associated with Ellen K. Silbergeld's letter in the May 2004 issue of EHP (Silbergeld 2004). As a toxicologist of nearly 30 years, a private consultant, and associate editor of the International...

"Arsenic in food": Silbergeld responds.(Correspondence)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Bernard comments on the calculations in my letter (Silbergeld 2004) to criticize my conclusions, which were that the use of arsenic for growth promotion in poultry feeds results in contamination of chicken products (and other food animal...

"Sex and ceruloplasmin modulate the response to copper ...".(Correspondence)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... It is past time for EHP to stop accepting papers whose funding disclosure makes it obvious there is a conflict, yet "The authors declare they have no competing financial interests." Mendez et al. (2004) stated that "This investigation was...

Ceruloplasmin and copper: Mendez and Araya respond.(Correspondence)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2005... Most unfortunately, Tweedale misunderstood and misinterpreted our article "'Sex and Ceruloplasmin Modulate the Response to Copper Exposure in Healthy Individuals" (Mendez et al. 2004). The article is about copper homeostasis and homeostatic...

Errata.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... Lai et al. would like to clarify their financial support for their article "Understanding the Spatial Clustering of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong" [Environ Health Perspect 112:1550-1556 (2004)]. The acknowledgment should...

Iraq's toxic shipwrecks.(Warfare)
April 1, 2005... Iraq's coastline consists of a 36-mile stretch along the north end of the Persian Gulf. The country has only two deep-water ports, Umm Qasr and Az Zubayr. Three wars--the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, the 1991 Gulf War, and the U.S. invasion...

Souped-up yeast.(TRANSPORTATION/FUELS)
April 1, 2005... The high cost of oil makes ethanol and other alternative fuels increasingly attractive. Proponents of ethanol point to corn, wheat, and other food crops as renewable feedstocks for producing the fuel. However, critics contend that diverting...

Vive la petite auto!(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... Starting in January 2005 French drivers who buy large vehicles must pay a surcharge of up to about US$4,700 as part of a plan drawn up by the French Environment Ministry. The plan also rewards purchasers of smaller, cleaner vehicles with a...

China goes retro.(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... In Beijing alone, nearly 1,000 new vehicles hit the road each day, and several Chinese metropolises (including Beijing) are among the world's most polluted cities. Now a U.S.-Chinese partnership aims to turn the tide. In November 2004 the U.S....

Green journalism in Mozambique.(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... The Mozambican Grupo Ambiental de Jornalistas, with assistance from the Blacksmith Institute, has begun producing and broadcasting environmental health programs on Radio Mozambique's two main channels. Topics to date have included the causes...

Perchlorate exposure: tip of the iceberg?(FOOD SAFETY)
April 1, 2005... For several years, federal and state agencies have debated over what is an acceptable level of human perchlorate exposure through food and drinking water. Now Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators have found the chemical in milk and...

Disaster-ready corn.(AGRICULTURE)
April 1, 2005... In the past 15 years, the number of droughts and other weather-related natural disasters worldwide has more than doubled, according to the international nonprofit Future Harvest. So it was welcome news when researchers at the University of...

The 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit saw the introduction of a number of highly efficient cars, including several new gas--electric hybrid models.(ehpnet)
April 1, 2005... www.fueleconomy.gov The 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit saw the introduction of a number of highly efficient cars, including several new gas--electric hybrid models. The market is expected to see even more hybrid and...

An end to idle threats?(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... Thanks to a new electrified system developed by IdleAire Technologies and currently used at 23 truck stops across the country, truckers can do their job in a cleaner way. Longhaul truckers are required to take a 10-hour rest stop for every 11...

Defining the sprawlscape.(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... Yale urbanism and architecture professor Dolores Hayden has written A Field Guide to Sprawl to provide urban planners and sustainable-growth advocates with a common language for describing the sprawl landscape. The idea for the guide stemmed...

Phone-y flowers.(The Beat)
April 1, 2005... With 80 million new wireless phones sold in North America each year and the average user upgrading to a new phone every 18 months, the disposal of old phones is a huge problem. The phones not only take up valuable landfill space, but also...

MIT toxicogenomics research program.(NIEHS News)
April 1, 2005... The Toxicogenomics Research Consortium (TRC) was initiated by the NIEHS to integrate genomics approaches into the field of toxicology through the cooperative efforts of research institutions from academia, government, and industry. At one TRC...

ToxRAP makes the connection.(Beyond the Bench)
April 1, 2005... Environmental health professionals are made, not born. That's the ideology behind the creation of ToxRAP[TM] (Toxicology, Risk Assessment, and Pollution), an interactive curriculum for grades kindergarten through 9. ToxRAP was designed to help...

Toxicogenomics data on acetaminophen now available.(Environews: NIEHS NEWS)
April 1, 2005... The National Toxicology Program (NTP), under the leadership of director Kenneth Olden and deputy director Christopher Portier, recently completed a study of hepatic transcript levels following exposure to the model hepatotoxicant acetaminophen....

Prenatal PAH exposure causes genetic changes in newborns.(Chromosomal Damage)
April 1, 2005... Research has suggested that in utero exposure to pollutants can cause DNA damage, chromosomal changes, and increased risk of childhood cancers such as leukemia. Other studies have indicated that pediatric leukemia is initiated prior to birth....

Heavy traffic ahead: car culture accelerates.(Environews: Focus)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... As the world's largest nation, China is drawing a lot of attention for its increased motorization rates. Although Chinas rate of automobile ownership is low by the standards of the developed world, it is increasing at a very fast rate. Between...

Driving up the cost of clean air.(Environews: Spheres of Influence)
April 1, 2005... The internal combustion engine is a mixed blessing. The freedom of movement provided by cars and light trucks--minivans, SUVs, and pickups--is unprecedented. But these same vehicles also pose a major public health problem. It is not surprising,...

Here comes Hypercar!(Environews: Innovations)
April 1, 2005... Despite the fact that the price of gasoline seems stuck around $2.00 per gallon, gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups remain as popular as ever among Americans. The United States produces 25% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions; cars and light...

ETS and conception: smoking out a mechanism of action.(Environews: Science Selections)
April 1, 2005... Numerous studies have shown that women who smoke have a harder time getting pregnant and a greater risk of spontaneous abortion and having low-birth-weight babies. Smoking also has long been associated with menstrual disturbances and possibly...

The heart of toxicity: details of cardiovascular damage uncovered.(Environews: Science Selections)
April 1, 2005... In recent years, researchers have found that air pollutants can adversely affect the human cardiovascular system. But little has been uncovered about exactly how that damage occurs. German and U.S. researchers working together have now helped...

A precautionary tale: mental health and risk communication.(Environews: Science Selections)
April 1, 2005... Many agencies and organizations have, over the years, assumed that a substance should be assumed benign until proven harmful, and that caution is needed only in limited cases. Advocates of the precautionary principle, on the other hand, assume...

Concern about environmental pollution: how much difference do race and ethnicity make? A new jersey case study.(Research: Commentary)
April 1, 2005... A survey conducted among 1,513 residents of New Jersey during March-May 2004 showed that non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and English-speaking Hispanic Americans were significantly more concerned about environmental pollution problems...

Ambient air pollution and pregnancy outcomes: a review of the literature.
April 1, 2005... Over the last decade or so, a large number of studies have investigated the possible adverse effects of ambient air pollution on birth outcomes. We reviewed these studies, which were identified by a systematic search of the main scientific...

Chemical mixtures: Considering the evolution of toxicology and chemical assessment.
April 1, 2005... The assessment of chemical mixtures is a complex topic for toxicologists, regulators, and the public. In this article the linkage between the science of toxicology and the needs of governmental regulatory agencies in the United States is...

Urinary concentrations of bisphenol a and 4-Nonylphenol in a human reference population.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to manufacture polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, which are used in baby bottles, as protective coatings on food containers, and for composites and sealants in dentistry. 4-Nonylphenol (NP) is used to make...

Effects of ammonium perchlorate on thyroid function in developing fathead minnows, pimephales promelas.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Perchlorate is a known environmental contaminant, largely due to widespread military use as a propellant. Perchlorate acts pharmacologically as a competitive inhibitor of thyroidal iodide uptake in mammals, but the impacts of perchlorate...

The precautionary principle and risk perception: experimental studies in the EMF area.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Possible adverse health effects due to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from cellular phones and base stations present a major public health issue across Europe. Because scientists cannot exdude that EMFs may cause health problems, the application...

The world trade center residents' respiratory health study: new-onset respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... The destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) on 11 September 2001 in New York City resulted in the massive release of pulverized dust and combustion products. The dust and smoke settled in the surrounding area, which encompassed a large...

Effect of Environmental Tobacco Smoke on Levels of Urinary Hormone Markers.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Our recent study showed a dose-response relationship between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and the risk of early pregnancy loss. Smoking is known to affect female reproductive hormones. We explored whether ETS affects reproductive hormone...

Chlorination disinfection by-products and pancreatic cancer risk.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Chlorination disinfection by-products (CDBPs) are produced during the treatment of water with chlorine to remove bacterial contamination. CDBPs have been associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. There is also some evidence that they...

Evidence of interaction between polychlorinated biphenyls and phthalates in relation to human sperm motility.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Previously, we reported evidence of inverse associations between exposure to some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some phthalate monoesters in relation to semen parameters, specifically sperm motility. Because humans are exposed to both...

Xenoestrogens at picomolar to nanomolar concentrations trigger membrane estrogen receptor-[alpha]-mediated [Ca.sup.2+] fluxes and prolactin release in GH3/B6 pituitary tumor cells.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Xenoestrogens (XEs) are widespread in our environment and are known to have deleterious effects in animal (and perhaps human) populations. Acting as inappropriate estrogens, XEs are thought to interfere with endogenous estrogens such as...

Repolarization changes induced by air pollution in ischemic heart disease patients.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Epidemiologic studies report associations between particulate air pollution and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are still unclear. We tested the hypothesis that patients with preexisting...

Alkyl phenols and diethylhexyl phthalate in tissues of sheep grazing pastures fertilized with sewage sludge or inorganic fertilizer.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... We studied selected tissues from ewes and their lambs that were grazing pastures fertilized with either sewage sludge (treated) or inorganic fertilizer (control) and determined concentrations of alkylphenols and phthalates in these tissues....

The induction of vascular endothelial growth factor by ultrafine carbon black contributes to the increase of alveolar-capillary permeability.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Ultrafine carbon black (ufCB) can cause proinflammatory response and increase alveolar-capillary permeability. However, the mechanism underlying the increased permeability is not well characterized. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is...

Domoic acid transfer to milk: evaluation of a potential route of neonatal exposure.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... Domoic acid (DA), produced by the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia, is a glutamate analog and a neurotoxin in humans. During diatom blooms, DA can contaminate filter-feeding organisms, such as shellfish, and can be transferred by ingestion to...

Coupling aggressive mass removal with microbial reductive dechlorination for remediation of DNAPL source zones: a review and assessment.(Research: Article)
April 1, 2005... The infiltration of dense non-aqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLs) into the saturated subsurface typically produces a highly contaminated zone that serves as a long-term source of dissolved-phase groundwater contamination. Applications of aggressive...

Impact of occupational exposure on lead levels in women.(Environmental Medicine: Article)
April 1, 2005... In 1994, 207 women participated in a study designed to examine the effects of occupational exposure and various lifestyle factors on bone and blood lead levels. In vivo measurements of Pb concentrations in tibia were performed by X-ray...

Respiratory morbidity in office workers in a water-damaged building. (Environmental Medicine: Article.
April 1, 2005... We conducted a study on building-related respiratory disease and associated social impact in an office building with water incursions in the northeastern United States. An initial questionnaire had 67% participation (888/1,327). Compared with...

Intoxication from an accidentally ingested lead shot retained in the gastrointestinal tract.(Environmental Medicine: Case Report)
April 1, 2005... A 45-year-old woman was referred to the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health in January 2002 because of increased blood lead concentrations of unknown origin. She suffered from malaise, fatigue, and diffuse gastrointestinal...

Assessing exposure to organophosphorus pesticides by biomonitoring in epidemiologic studies of birth outcomes.(Children's Health: Commentary)
April 1, 2005... For epidemiologic studies that evaluate the relation between potential exposures to environmental chemicals and adverse outcomes, accurate assessments of exposures and health outcomes are needed. Three prospective cohort studies recently...

Pulmonary effects of indoor- and outdoor-generated particles in children with asthma.(Children's Health: Article)
April 1, 2005... Most particulate matter (PM) health effects studies use outdoor (ambient) PM as a surrogate for personal exposure. However, people spend most of their time indoors exposed to a combination of indoor-generated particles and ambient particles...

Variation in organophosphate pesticide metabolites in urine of children living in agricultural communities.(Children's Health: Article)
April 1, 2005... Children of migrant farmworkers are at increased risk of exposure to organophosphate pesticides because of "carry-home" transport processes and residential location. Although this at-risk status is generally recognized, few available reports...

Age-related differences in susceptibility to carcinogenesis. II. approaches for application and uncertainty analyses for individual genetically acting carcinogens.(Children's Health: Article)
April 1, 2005... In an earlier report we developed a quantitative likelihood-based analysis of the differences in sensitivity of rodents to mutagenic carcinogens across three life stages (fetal, birth to weaning, and weaning to 60 days) relative to exposures in...

Annual scientific retreat: predisposing factors in the development of complex diseases.(Announcements: NIEHS Extramural Update)
April 1, 2005... The 2004 NIEHS Division of Extramural Research and Training's annual scientific retreat was titled "Predisposing Factors in the Development of Complex Diseases." The retreat focused on factors related to aging, immunology, infection, and...

Transportation Environmental Research Program (TERP).(Announcements: Fellowships, Grants & Awards)
April 1, 2005... Transportation and environmental issues are strongly connected, and in recent years legislation at all levels of government has further heightened the links between these issues. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) addresses these issues...

Calendar.(Announcements)(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... 2005 April 13-18 April, Wed-Mon. 2005 Spring Instructional Courses. Oakbrook, Illinois. Information: American Academy of Environmental Medicine, De Rodgers, 7701 East Kellogg, Suite 625, Wichita, KS 67207 USA, 316-684-5500, fax:...

America's Environmental Report Card: Are We Making the Grade?
April 1, 2005... America's Environmental Report Card: Are We Making the Grade? By Harvey Blatt Cambridge, MA:MIT Press, 2005. 277 pp. ISBN: 0-262-02572-8, $27.95 cloth Protecting the environment continues to be a top priority for most Americans. Some...

New Books.(Announcements)
April 1, 2005... Comparative Genomics: RECOMB 2004 International Workshop, RCG 2004 Jens Lagergren, ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 2005. 133 pp. ISBN: 3-540 24455 7, $58 DNA Methylation and Cancer Therapy Moshe Szyf, ed. New York:...