Environmental Health Perspectives articles from March 2008

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from March 2008

Early-life arsenic exposure: methylation capacity and beyond.(Editorial)
March 1, 2008... Inorganic arsenic (iAs), a toxic metalloid, affects millions of people worldwide, mainly from drinking contaminated water. Arsenic is a human carcinogen that targets skin, lung, bladder, and possibly other sites. iAs and its methylated...

Air pollution and birth weight in Connecticut and Massachusetts.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... The correspondence section is a public forum and, as such, is not peer-reviewed. EHP is not responsible for the accuracy, currency, or reliability of personal opinion expressed herein; it is the sole responsibility of the authors. EHP neither...

Air pollution and birth weight: bell et al. respond.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... In our recent study (Bell et al. 2007)we identified associations between air pollution and low birth weight in Connecticut and Massachusetts based on 358,504 births from 1999 to 2002. Salam raises several important concerns about potential...

Contribution of dental amalgam to urinary mercury excretion in children.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... Woods et al. (2007) studied a group of children (n = 507) who were exposed by inhalation to elemental mercury (H[g.sup.0]) from dental amalgam fillings. In the study, 253 subjects were exposed, whereas the remaining 254 children, the control...

Contribution of dental amalgam to urinary mercury excretion in children: woods et al. respond.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... We are pleased to respond to lavicoli and Carelli's comments on our article (Woods et al. 2007). Iavicoli and Carelli question our use of creatinine adjustment; in previous studies, we addressed the pros and cons of this issue in depth...

Uncertainties in the relationship between tibia lead and cumulative blood lead index.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... Uncertainties in the relationship between bone Pb and cumulative blood lead index (CBLI), including evidence of nonlinearity and differences between the sexes, should be appropriately recognized when setting workplace blood Pb limits to achieve...

Relationship between tibia lead and cumulative blood lead index: Schwartz et al. Respond.(Correspondence)
March 1, 2008... We thank Healey et al. for their thoughtful comments on our papers in the mini-monograph on adult lead exposure (Hu et al. 2007; Schwartz and Hu 2007). We agree with the points they raised concerning uncertainties in the relation of cumulative...

Errata.(Correction notice)
March 1, 2008... In the February Spheres of Influence artiacle [Environ Health Perspect 116:A78-A81 (2008)], the first sentence of the second paragraph under the subhead "Community Response" should have read "In the 1990s, just a few group such as the Sierra...

Cancer and TCDD: the mitochondrial connection.(CHEMICAL EXPOSURES)(tetrachlorodibenzodioxin)
March 1, 2008... During the Vietnam War, from 1961 to 1971, U.S. military forces sprayed milions of gallons of the herbicide Agent Orange over vast travts of Southeast Asian jungle, mainly in an effort ot remove foliage and expose enemy troops. Troops were...

Toxicity testing takes stock.(ALTERNATIVE TEST MODELS)
March 1, 2008... Early February 2008 saw the celebration of the first 10 years of work by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the federally funded body charged with promoting the regulatory acceptance of...

Savory relief for arsenic poisoning?(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... In the February 2008 issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology, researchers from India report that aqueous garlic extract (AGE) fed to at-risk individuals may reduce the toxic effects of arsenic. Rats receiving daily doses of arsenic equivalent to...

In utero cigarette smoke exposure and age at menopause.(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... It is well documented that women who smoke cigarettes begin menopause earlier than nonsmokers. Using data from a U.S. national study on the health effects of prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure, a team of researchers reported in the 11 January...

Antibiotic resistance seen in arctic wildfowl.(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Swedish researchers reported in the January 2008 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases that birds living in three different geographic regions of the Arctic tundra carry E. coli bacteria resistant to multiple types of antibiotics. These birds,...

Hard data for hard water.(CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH)
March 1, 2008... Are people who drink "hard" water containing higher levels of calcium and/or magnesium less likely to suffer cardiovascular disease? This is the question that delegates who attended a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting 21-22 January 2008...

Dairy paradox.(CANCER)
March 1, 2008... The etiology of colorectal disease revolves around genetic and environmental factors, particularly diet. A meta-analysis in the 7 July 2004 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggested that consuming more dairy products and...

European chemicals Agency.(ehpnet)
March 1, 2008... On 1 June 2007, Europe's new legislation for managing chemicals, REACH (Regulation, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), entered into force. Under the auspices of REACH, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) was set up....

UK organic certifier says no to nanomaterials.(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... The Soil Association, a nonprofit UK organization that certifies the majority of that nation's organic products, announced in January 2008 it will no longer allow man-made nanomaterials (materials with a mean size of less than 200 nm) to be...

China begins national survey of pollution sources.(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Although China has set goals to cut emissions of major pollutants, emissions of sulfur dioxide and some indicators of poor water quality increased in 2006. Experts have decried the lack of trustworthy statistics on the sources and extent of...

Ancient Chinese Cancer secret?(The Beat)(Brief article)
March 1, 2008... Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center are currently conducting clinical trials in Shanghai on a cancer therapy that uses the venom of the Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans). China's use of the venom in the treatment of...

Synthetic turf: health debate takes root.(Focus)
March 1, 2008... In Little League dugouts, community parks, professional athletic organizations, and international soccer leagues, on college campuses and neighborhood playgrounds, even in residential yards, the question being asked is "grass or plastic?" The...

Chemical Reaction: the U.S. response to REACH.(Spheres of Influence)(registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals)
March 1, 2008... Last summer ushered in a new era in the regulation of chemicals. On 1 June 2007, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), the expansive scheme by the European Union (EU) to regulate chemicals used in...

Life after lindane in California: water concentrations, poison control calls drop following ban.(Science Selections)
March 1, 2008... Lindane, a persistent, highly toxic, and bioaccumulative organochlorine insecticide, was used in agriculture and as a topical treatment for human head lice and scabies beginning in the 1940s. As its toxicity became better known, manufacture and...

Dust storm fallout: tiniest travelers pose greatest infection threat.(Science Selections)
March 1, 2008... Dust isn't just a nuisance--its ability to clog human airways and carry pathogens poses a human health problem. In the sub-Saharan region of Africa, the World Health Organization pinpointed dust storms exacerbated by the dry season and drought...

Taking a bite out of amalgam concerns? Study shows no renal effects in children.(Science Selections)
March 1, 2008... Dental amalgam is a major source of human exposure to inorganic mercury, which is thought to occur primarily when elemental mercury from the amalgam surface evaporates and is inhaled. Prior studies provide strong evidence that the central...

Prenatal lead exposure in mice: age-related, sex-specific effects observed.
March 1, 2008... Children with low-level prenatal lead exposure may suffer reduced cognitive function, impaired motor ability, and visual and auditory processing problems. Other effects, such as accelerated age-related functional decline or delayed...

Calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2008... EHP researches and posts conferences, meetings, seminars, and other events related to environmental health. To inquire about listing your event on the EHP Calendar, please e-mail ehpads@brogan.com. These events were last updated on October 1,...

Announcements.(New books)(List)
March 1, 2008... Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy Jay Inslee, Bracken Hendricks Washington, DC:Island Press, 2007. 416 pp. ISBN: I-59726-175-0, $25-95 Assessing Climate Change: Temperatures, Solar Radiation and Heat...

Fertility and markers of male reproductive function in Inuit and European Populations spanning large contrasts in blood levels of persistent organochlorines.(Review)
March 1, 2008... OBJECTIVE: We synthesized the main findings from an international epidemiologic study on the impact of biopersistent organic pollutants (POPs) on human reproductive function. DATA SOURCES AND EXTRACTION: We used a database with interview...

Phytostabilization of mine tailings in arid and semiarid environments--an emerging remediation technology.(Review)
March 1, 2008... OBJECTIVE: Unreclaimed mine tailings sites are a worldwide problem, with thousands of unvegetated, exposed tailings piles presenting a source of contamination for nearby communities. Tailings disposal sites in arid and semiarid environments are...

Compound cytotoxicity profiling using quantitative high-throughput screening.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The propensity of compounds to produce adverse health effects in humans is generally evaluated using animal-based test methods. Such methods can be relatively expensive, low-throughput, and associated with pain suffered by the...

Particle size distribution of airborne microorganisms and pathogens during an intense African dust event in the Eastern Mediterranean.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The distribution of microorganisms, and especially pathogens, over airborne particles of different sizes has been ignored to a large extent, but it could have significant implications regarding the dispersion of these across the...

Outcomes of the California ban on pharmaceutical lindane: clinical and ecologic impacts.(Research)(Survey)
March 1, 2008... INTRODUCTION: There are increasing concerns over the presence and implications of pharmaceutical agents in water. In 2002, California banned pharmaceutical use of lindane because of concerns about water quality, as lindane treatment for head...

Urinary concentrations of triclosan in the U.S. population: 2003-2004.(Research)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Triclosan is a synthetic chemical with broad antimicrobial activity that has been used extensively in consumer products, including personal care products, textiles, and plastic kitchenware. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed...

In utero and lactational exposures to low doses of polybrominated diphenyl ether-47 alter the reproductive system and thyroid gland of female rat offspring.(Research)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are capable of disrupting thyroid hormone homeostasis. PBDE-47 (2, 2', 4, 4' -tetrabromodiphenyl ether) is one of the most abundant congeners found in human breast adipose tissue and maternal...

Nutritional status has marginal influence on the metabolism of inorganic arsenic in pregnant Bangladeshi women.(Research)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The interindividual variation in metabolism of inorganic arsenic (iAs), involving methylation via one-carbon metabolism, has been well documented, but the reasons remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: In this population-based study we...

Low phytoestrogen levels in feed increase fetal serum estradiol resulting in the "fetal estrogenization syndrome" and obesity in CD-1 mice.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Although estrogenic chemicals can disrupt development of the reproductive system, there is debate about whether phytoestrogens in soy are beneficial, benign, or harmful. OBJECTIVES: We compared reproductive and metabolic...

Hypertension and exposure to noise near airports: the HYENA study.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: An increasing number of people are exposed to aircraft and road traffic noise. Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and even a small contribution in risk from environmental factors may have a major...

Phthalate diesters and their metabolites in human breast milk, blood or serum, and urine as biomarkers of exposure in vulnerable populations.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Phthalates may pose a risk for perinatal developmental effects. An important question relates to the choice of suitable biological matrices for assessing exposure during this period. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to...

Neonatal exposure to low doses of diazinon: long-term effects on neural cell development and acetylcholine systems.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The developmental neurotoxicity of organophosphate pesticides involves mechanisms other than their shared property of cholinesterase inhibition. OBJECTIVES: We gave diazinon (DZN) to newborn rats on postnatal days 1-4, using...

Direct, continuous monitoring of air pollution by transgenic sensor mice responsive to halogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR, also called the dioxin receptor) plays crucial roles in toxicologic responses of animals to environmental pollutants, especially to halogenated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. To achieve...

Low-level human equivalent gestational lead exposure produces sex-specific motor and coordination abnormalities and late-onset obesity in year-old mice.(Research)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Low-level developmental lead exposure is linked to cognitive and neurological disorders in children. However, the long-term effects of gestational lead exposure (GLE) have received little attention. OBJECTIVES: Our goals were...

The effect of ambient air pollution during early pregnancy on fetal ultrasonic measurements during mid-pregnancy.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Over the past decade there has been mounting evidence that ambient air pollution during pregnancy influences fetal growth. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine possible associations between fetal ultrasonic...

Temporal variation in the association between benzene and leukemia mortality.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Benzene is a human carcinogen. Exposure to benzene occurs in occupational and environmental settings. OBJECTIVE: I evaluated variation in benzene-related leukemia with age at exposure and time since exposure. METHODS: I...

Effect of inhaled carbon ultrafine particles on reactive hyperemia in healthy human subjects.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Ultrafiiic particles (UFP) may contribute to the cardiovascular effects of exposure to particulate air pollution, partly because of their relatively efficient alveolar deposition and potential to enter the pulmonary vascular space....

Antigen sensitization influences organphosphorus pesticide-induced airway hyperreactivity.(Research)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiologic studies have identified organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) as environmental factors potentially contributing to the increase in asthma prevalence over the last 25 years. In Support of this hypothesis, we have...

Meeting report: batch-to-batch variability in estrogenic activity in commercial animal diets--importance and approaches for laboratory animal research.(Research)
March 1, 2008... We report information from two workshops sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that were held to a) assess whether dietary estrogens could significantly impact end points in experimental animals, and b) involve program participants and...

Renal effects of dental amalgam in children: the New England Children's Amalgam Trial.(Children's Health)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Mercury is nephrotoxic and dental amalgam is a source of mercury exposure. METHODS: Children 6-10 years of age (n = 534) with two or more posterior teeth with caries but no prior amalgam restorations, were randomized to one of...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and bioaccumulative hydroxylated PBDE metabolites in young humans from Managua, Nicaragua.(Children's Health)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a young urban population in a developing country, with focus on potentially highly exposed children working informally as scrap scavengers at a large...

Glutathione S-transferase P1, maternal smoking, and asthma in children: a haplotype-based analysis.(Children's Health)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) plays a role in a spectrum of respiratory diseases; however, the effects of sequence variation across the entire locus in asthma pathogenesis have yet to be determined. OBJECTIVES: This...

Pilot studies of estrogen-related physical findings in infants.(Children's Health)
March 1, 2008... BACKGROUND: Soy formula containing estrogenic isoflavones is widely used in the United States. Infants consuming soy formula exclusively have high isoflavone exposures. We wanted to study whether soy formula prolonged the physiologic...