Environmental Health Perspectives articles from June 2008

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from June 2008

EHP papers of the year, 2008.(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... Authors are often asked about the impact of their research on their fields or disciplines. Likewise, editors often wonder about the impact of articles published in their journals. In an effort to reinforce the high quality of articles published...

Health, economy, and environment: sustainable energy choices for a nation.(Editorial)(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... Energy policies are in transition worldwide based on a convergence of factors including static oil production coupled with increased demand, a desire for energy independence, and growing awareness of climate change. Making energy choices that...

Perfluoroalkane acids and fetal growth.(Correspondence)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... In the November issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, Apelberg et al. (2007) reported an inverse relationship between umbilical cord blood concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and ponderal index...

Perfluoroalkane acids: Apelberg et al. respond.(Correspondence)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... We thank Scialli for his interest in our study (Apelberg et al. 2007). As he notes, we recognize that several factors could be responsible for the relationships observed between cord serum concentrations of perfluorooctane...

Carcinogenicity of aspartame in rats not proven.(Correspondence)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... In their article on lifetime exposure to aspartame in rats, Soffritti et al. (2007) purported that their study demonstrated increased carcinogenic effects in female rats as a result of exposure beginning during prenatal life. We believe...

Carcinogenicity of aspartame: Soffritti responds.(Correspondence)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... Magnuson and Williams's letter is substantially a repetition of the arguments set forth in a recent article (Magnuson et al. 2007), which was a "safety evaluation" sponsored entirely by Ajinomoto, the manufacturer of aspartame. Their article...

Food additives and hyperactivity.(Correspondence)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... In the December 2007 Forum article on the links between food additives and hyperactivity, Barrett (2007) offered a somewhat distorted perspective on the public health implications of these additives. Barrett described a clinical trial testing...

Errata.(Correction notice)
June 1, 2008... Fox et al. [Environ Health Perspect 116:618-625 (2008)] inadvertently used the wrong calibration unit in the text and Figure 3 of their article. Candela-seconds per square meter (cd-sec/[m.sup.2]) should have been Trolond-seconds (td-sec)...

Errata.(Correction notice)
June 1, 2008... In the statistical analysis section of "Hypertension and Exposure to Noise Near Airports: the HYENA Study" [Environ Health Perspect 116:329-333 (2008)], Jarup et al. erroneously named Biostat International (Tampa, FL) as the manufacturer of the...

Corn ethanol goal revives dead zone concerns.(FUELS)
June 1, 2008... The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 calls for the production of 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022, including 15 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol, a tripling of current production that would require a similar...

NREL biomass research.(Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory)(ehpnet)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/ The Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducts numerous research, development, and demonstration projects in the field of biomass-based energy. Easy-to-understand, up-to-date...

UV protection from plants.(CANCER)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can exact a heavy toll on skin health, resulting in an increased risk of skin cancers as well as other telltale signs of photoaging. In the United States alone, more than 1 million cases of...

The Green Gap.(The Beat)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A product may be greener than the competition, but that doesn't mean the product actually improves the environment. Consumers don't always grasp the distinction, however, as illustrated, by the 2008 Green Gap Survery, released in April 2008 by...

Metal transformation.(The Beat)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The U.K.'s Peak District, once a center of metal mining, is now an important recreation area, with an estimated 16 million people living within a 1-hour drive. Scientists reported at the April 2008 annual meeting of the Society for General...

Imaging FlowCytobot nips algal blooms in the bud.(The Beat)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Imaging FlowCytobot, an automated underwater cell analyzer developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), is set to make beaches safer as the water warms up. The Imaging FlowCytobot quantifies and photographs microscopic plants...

The wonder pollutant?(The Beat)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Single-walled carbon nahbtubes (SWCNTs) are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair, stronger than steel, and more durable than diamonds--properties that have earned them the title of "wonder materials." But health and environmental advocates...

House tackles invasive species.(The Beat)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Hundreds of nonindigenous aquatic species are unintentionally introduced into U.S. waters through discharged ballast waters from oceangoing vessels, with a new invasive species being identified about every 28 weeks. These hitchhikers cause...

Hybrid splash.(TRANSPORTATION)
June 1, 2008... Plug-in hybird vehicles (PHEVs) are viewed as a major step in conserving oil and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. So great is the hope for PHEVs that the U.S. Department of Energy announced in January 2008 it would...

The carbon footprint of biofuels: can we shrink it down to size in time?(Focus)
June 1, 2008... Under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), signed into law as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the United States will be producing 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels annually in 2022, with 15 billion of that to come...

Food vs. fuel: diversion of crops could cause more hunger.(Spheres of Influence)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Eager to promore nonpetroleum energy sources to reduce dependence on oil imports and slow global warming due to fossil fuel emissions, the United States, Brazil, and the European Union are promoting biofuels made from food crops. Ethanol...

Getting a handle on biosolids: new model estimates microbial exposure risk.(Science Selections)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Each year several million tons of treated sewage sludge ("biosolids") are applied to crop land, reclaimed surface mines, forests, parks, and various other land areas in the United States. Yet the public health risk from exposure to pathogens in...

Brain effects stick around: PFCs and neural cell development.(perfluorinated chemicals)(Science Selections)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Although some perfluorinated chemicals--manmade compounds used in such goods as nonstick cookware and stain protectors--are no longer manufactured, decoding the ways in which these chemicals affect humans and wildlife is important because of...

Methylmercury pause: study suggests long latency for neurotoxicity.(Science Selections)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Methylmercury (MeHg) easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and accumulates in the central nervous system, where it is demethylated to inorganic mercury. Chronic perinatal exposure to environmentally relevant levels of MeHg is associated with...

Toxicants and teen health: pollutant effects on adolescent thyroid function.(Science Selections)(Report)
June 1, 2008... Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), as their name suggests, persist in the environment, contributing to the burden of toxicants threatening human health. The evidence to date strongly suggests these chemicals contribute to endocrine...

Recent advances and opportunities in research on lupus: environmental influences and mechanisms of disease.(Review)(Report)
June 1, 2008... OBJECTIVES: In this review we summarize research on mechanisms through which environmental agents may affect the pathogenesis of lupus, discuss three exposures that have been the focus of research in this area, and propose recommendations for...

Mechanism of selenium-induced inhibition of arsenic-enhanced UVR carcinogenesis in mice.(Research)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Hairless mice that ingested arsenite in drinking water exhibited more than a 5-fold enhancement of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) carcinogenesis, whereas arsenite alone was carcinogenically inactive. Dietary organoselenium blocked the...

Exposure to concentrated ambient particles does not affect vascular function in patients with coronary heart disease.(Research)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Exposure to fine particulate air pollution is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We previously demonstrated that exposure to dilute diesel exhaust causes vascular dysfunction in humans. ...

Developmental neurotoxicity of perfluorinated chemicals modeled in vitro.(Research)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The widespread detection of perfluoroalkyl acids and their derivatives in wildlife and humans, and their entry into the immature brain, raise increasing concern about whether these agents might be developmental neurotoxicants. ...

Asbestos burden predicts survival in pleural mesothelioma.(Research)(Clinical report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rapidly fatal asbestos--associated malignancy with a median survival time of OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between asbestos exposure and survival...

Microbial risk assessment framework for exposure to amended sludge projects.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a long history of using risk-based approaches for regulatory purposes, pollutant limits for pathogens in biosolids are not currently based on quantitative risk assessments. ...

Genetic variation in glutathione-related genes and body burden of methylmercury.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Exposure to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) through fish consumption is a large problem worldwide, and it has led to governmental recommendations of reduced fish consumption and blacklisting of mercury-contaminated fish. The elimination...

Styrene trimer may increase thyroid hormone levels via down-regulation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) target gene UDP-glucuronosyltransferase.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Styrene trimers (STs) are polystyrene-container-eluted materials that are sometimes detected in packaged foods. Although the possible endocrine-disrupting effects of STs, such as estrogenic activities, have been reported, their...

Emergence of delayed methylmercury toxicity after perinatal exposure in metallothionein-null and wild-type C57BL mice.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Although a long latency period of toxicity after exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is known to exist in humans, few animal studies have addressed this issue. Substantiation of delayed MeHg toxicity in animals would affect the risk...

Developmental exposure to Perchlorate alters synaptic transmission in hippocampus of the Adult rat.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Perchlorate is an environmental contaminant that blocks iodine uptake into the thyroid gland and reduces thyroid hormones. This action of perchlorate raises significant concern over its effects on brain development. OBJECTIVES:...

Polychlorinated biphenyl-77 induces adipocyte differentiation and adipokines and promotes obesity and atherosclerosis.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Obesity, an inflammatory condition linked to cardiovascular disease, is associated with expansion of adipose tissue. Highly prevalent coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) such as 3,3', 4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB-77)...

Transcriptome analyses in normal prostate epithelial cells exposed to low-dose cadmium: oncogenic and immunomodulations involving the action of tumor necrosis factor.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Cadmium is implicated in prostate carcinogenesis, but its oncogenic action remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: In this study we aimed to decipher changes in cell growth and the transcriptome in an immortalized human normal prostate...

Bone resorption and environmental exposure to cadmium in women: a population study.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Environmental exposure to cadmium decreases bone density indirectly through hypercalciuria resulting from renal tubular dysfunction. OBJECTIVE: We sought evidence for a direct osteotoxic effect of cadmium in women. ...

Associations of bone mineral density and lead levels in blood, tibia, and patella in urban-dwelling women.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relations between bone mineral density (BMD) and lead in blood, tibia, and patella and to investigate how BMD modifies these lead biomarkers in older women. DESIGN: In this study,...

Meeting report: atmospheric pollution and human reproduction.(Research)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of epidemiologic literature reporting associations between atmospheric pollutants and reproductive outcomes, particularly birth weight and gestational duration. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of our international...

Fluticasone propionate protects against ozone-induced airway inflammation and modified immune cell activation markers in healthy volunteers.(Environmental Medicine)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Ozone exposure induces airway neutrophilia and modifies innate immune monocytic cell-surface phenotypes in healthy individuals. High-dose inhaled corticosteroids can reduce [O.sub.3]-induced airway inflammation, but their effect on...

Relationship of thyroid hormone levels to levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, lead, p,p'-DDE, and other toxicants in Akwesasne Mohawk youth.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: It is well documented that acute exposure to high levels of persistent organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorophenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), and hexa-chlorobenzene (HCB), can affect human...

Prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and the risk of adverse birth outcomes.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Prior studies of prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown mixed results regarding its effect on birth weight and gestational age. OBJECTIVES: In this retrospective cohort study we examined whether PCE...

Association of environmental cadmium exposure with pediatric dental caries.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Although animal experiments have shown that cadmium exposure results in severe dental caries, limited epidemiologic data are available on this issue. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the relationship between environmental...

Elevated ambient air zinc increases pediatric asthma morbidity.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate that the composition of fine particulate matter [PM [less than or equal to] 2.5 [mu]m in aerodynamic diameter (P[M.sub.2.5])] is associated with increased hospitalizations for cardiovascular and respiratory...

Air pollution, airway inflammation, and lung function in a cohort study of Mexico City schoolchildren.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The biological mechanisms involved in inflammatory response to air pollution are not clearly understood. OBJECTIVE: In this study we assessed the association of short-term air pollutant exposure with inflammatory markers and...

Genetics of hemostasis: differential effects of heritability and household components influencing lipid concentrations and clotting factor levels in 282 pediatric stroke families.(Children's Health)(Report)
June 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The identification of heritable and environmental factors possibly influencing a condition at risk should be a prerequisite for the search for the proportion of variance attributable for shared environmental effects ([c.sup.2])...

2008.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... June 22-25 June, Sun-Wed. 72nd Annual Educational Conference (AEC) and Exhibition. Tucson, Arizona. Information: Kristen Kuhar, National Environmental Health Association 720 South Colorado Boulevard, Suite 1000-N, Denver, CO 80246 USA,...

Where We Stand: A Surprising Look at the Real State of Our Planet.(Book review)
June 1, 2008... By Seymour Garte New York:AMACOM, 2008. 290 pp. ISBN: 978-8144-0910-7, $24.95 In an era of pessimism and revisionism, I was able to pick up a book that actually tries to provide a balanced perspective on the state of the environment and...

Announcements new books.
June 1, 2008... Adsorption of Metals by Geomedia II, 7 Mark Barnett, Douglas Kent, eds. St. Louis, MO:Elsevier, 2007. 430 pp. ISBN: 978-0-444-53212-1, $140 Advances in Molecular Toxicology, Vol 2 James C. Fishbein St. Louis,...