Environmental Health Perspectives articles from May 2006

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from May 2006

Sport and the environment.(Guest Editorial)
May 1, 2006... Pick up any newspaper or magazine these days and there will most likely be a prominent story about the environment and its relation to human health, well-being, or economic security. It seems that environmental sensitivity is moving from the...

Improving grant application peer review for the NIEHS.(DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE)
May 1, 2006... The goal of the extramural research program of the NIEHS is to fund the highest-quality science to understand how environmental exposures contribute to the development and progression of human diseases. To identify the most meritorious research...

Dimethylamine borane neurotoxicity.(Perspectives: Correspondence)
May 1, 2006... In a recent article, Tsan et al. (2005) reported the first study of the clinical toxicity of dimethylamine borane (DMAB) poisoning, particularly the neurologic manifestations in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. They...

Dimethylamine borane: Tsan and Hung respond.(Perspectives: Correspondence)
May 1, 2006... The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of our patient (Tsan et al. 2005) were performed on the 8th and 37th days after DMAB poisoning and show marked differences. The lesions of the bilateral cerebellar periventricular area were revealed...

Sources of lead in cocoa and chocolate.(Perspectives: Correspondence)
May 1, 2006... The article "Lead Contamination in Cocoa and Cocoa Products: Isotopic Evidence of Global Contamination" (Rankin et al. 2005) has attracted international attention (crienglish.com 2005) because of an interview that Rankin granted a reporter from...

Lead in cocoa and chocolate: Rankin and Flegal respond.(Perspectives: Correspondence)
May 1, 2006... We thank Manton for his comments on our study (Rankin et al. 2005), and we hope that readers will be encouraged to read the entire article to place his correspondence in perspective. In our article (Rankin et al. 2005), we documented the orders...

Taking the lead and copper rule to task.(Drinking Water Quality)
May 1, 2006... When testing in 2003 found higher-than-allowable lead levels in the District of Columbia's drinking water, it hit awfully close to home for some law makers, prompting three U.S. legislators to direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO)...

Cleaner air on the fly?(Mercury)
May 1, 2006... The coal industry represents more than half of America's energy production, and DOE estimates place the recoverable reserve at more than 250 billion short tons. Coal is notorious for its drawbacks, however, including emissions of sulfur (which...

Easy rider, easy polluter.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... A Swiss study published in the 1 January 2006 issue of Environmental Science & Technology shows that motorcycles collectively emit 16 times more hydrocarbons, 3 times more carbon monoxide, and "disproportionately high" levels of other air...

Beverages doing better.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... Last year, the EU commissioner for health and consumer affairs called on drink and food companies to take steps to fight the growing problem of child obesity. In response, the Union of European Beverages Associations (UNESDA) announced in...

Score for the environment.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... In November 2005, sporting goods manufacturers from Sialkot, Pakistan, who produce 60% of the world's soccer balls, pledged to reduce and improve the use of water and energy during their manufacturing processes. They also agreed to introduce...

A headache for water treatment.(Pharmaceuticals)
May 1, 2006... Acetaminophen is turned into at least two toxic compounds by chlorination treatment, researchers report in the 15 January 2006 issue of Environmental Science & Technology, raising concerns about the fate of this and other pharmaceuticals that...

Genetic basis of UVB sensitivity.(Cancer)
May 1, 2006... More than 1 million new U.S. cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) will be diagnosed this year, according to the American Cancer Society, and most will be highly curable. New melanoma will be diagnosed in only...

A "Cowabunga!" moment for farmers.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... Penn State researchers have come up with a cheaper, safer way to clean and disinfect milking equipment. Conventional cleaning systems use expensive acids and chlorinated chemicals that can burn the eyes and skin and damage the environment. The...

Of minors and miners.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... Ghana's Institute of Journalism is objecting to a public relations campaign in a weekly children's newspaper, Junior Graphic, that focuses on promoting positive information about the gold mining industry. The campaign is funded by the mining...

Arsenic and old decks.(The Beat)
May 1, 2006... Two papers published by Florida researchers in the 1 February 2006 issue of Environmental Science & Technology highlight the threat posed by arsenic from treated lumber used in decks, utility poles, and fences. Though chromated copper arsenate...

Global sports alliance.(ehpnet)
May 1, 2006... Sports speak a universal language, bridging class, nationality, and religion around the world. Many sports figures are better known than movie stars or prominent politicians. To capitalize on the importance of sports to billions of people...

NIEHS strategic plan: New Frontiers in Environmental Sciences and Human Health.(Environews: NIEHS News)
May 1, 2006... The NIEHS has a rich history of scientific accomplishments and contributions to human health and well-being. As with any large-scale organization with far-reaching activities and widespread influence, however, it is advisable to take a step...

Environmental health nursing: putting knowledge into practice.(Beyond the Bench)
May 1, 2006... Training that delivers a complete picture of environmental dangers faced by communities is critical in helping environmental health nurses cultivate skills that go beyond basic health care. Now the Community Outreach and Education Cores (COECs)...

Inhibition of RLIP76 causes complete regression of melanoma in mice.(Headliners: Cancer)
May 1, 2006... Singhal SS, Awasthi YC, Awasthi S. 2006. Regression of melanoma in a murine model by RLIP76 depletion. Cancer Res 66:2354-2360. Studies have shown that inhibition or depletion of RLIP76, a glutathione-conjugate transport protein that helps...

Putting the earth in play: environmental awareness and sports.(Environews: Focus)
May 1, 2006... Since time immemorial, people have entertained themselves with sports. Sports are emblematic of health, with the best matches played by athletes in peak physical form. But ironically, even as sports promote health, they can also degrade the...

The regulation equation: factoring in the price of health.(Environews: Spheres of Influence)
May 1, 2006... Controversy erupted early in 2003 after the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed that the lives of older people were worth less in dollar terms than those of younger people. The idea was included in a plan published in the 3...

Biogas: a bright idea for Africa.(Environews: Innovations)
May 1, 2006... Ibadan, the second largest city in Nigeria, is the center of a large agricultural region in Oyo State. Since the nineteenth century, fierce intertribal rivalries and other political unrest have pushed large influxes of refugee and military...

Diving hazards unmasked: estimating infection risk from pathogen exposure.(Environews: Science Selections)
May 1, 2006... Most recreational water quality standards are aimed at protecting beachgoers against accidental ingestion of or skin contact with water contaminated by fecal material. But the increased popularity of water sports such as kayaking, surfing, and...

A fine differentiation: chlorpyrifos and neuronal development.(Environews: Science Selections)
May 1, 2006... Although chlorpyrifos has been restricted for use in the home, it is still permitted for agriculture and remains the most widely used organophosphate pesticide in the world. Animal studies and in vitro models have indicated that chlorpyrifos...

The freeway running through the yard: traffic exhaust and asthma in Children.(Environews: Science Selections)
May 1, 2006... Since its inception 13 years ago, the Children's Health Study has indicated that air pollution in Southern California communities reduces lung growth and development, raises the risk of developing asthma, and increases school absences due to...

Arsenic exposure and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of the experimental and epidemiologic evidence.
May 1, 2006... Chronic arsenic exposure has been suggested to contribute to diabetes development. We performed a systematic review of the experimental and epidemiologic evidence on the association of arsenic and type 2 diabetes. We identified 19 in vitro...

Factors affecting the association between ambient concentrations and personal exposures to particles and gases.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Results from air pollution exposure assessment studies suggest that ambient fine particles [particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter [less than or equal to] 2.5 [micro]g ([PM.sub.2.5])], but not ambient gases, are strong proxies of...

Can we identify sources of fine particles responsible for exercise-induced ischemia on days with elevated air pollution? The ULTRA study.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Epidemiologic studies have shown that ambient particulate matter (PM) has adverse effects on cardiovascular health. Effective mitigation of the health effects requires identification of the most harmful PM sources. The objective of our study...

Reproduction, embryonic development, and maternal transfer of contaminants in the amphibian Gastrophryne carolinensis.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Although many amphibian populations around the world are declining at alarming rates, the cause of most declines remains unknown. Environmental contamination is one of several factors implicated in declines and may have particularly important...

Chlorpyrifos affects phenotypic outcomes in a model of mammalian neurodevelopment: critical stages targeting differentiation in PC12 cells.(Research)
May 1, 2006... The organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) adversely affects mammalian brain development through multiple mechanisms. To determine if CPF directly affects neuronal cell replication and phenotypic fate, and to identify the vulnerable...

Elevated levels of urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, lymphocytic micronuclei, and serum glutathione S-transferase in workers exposed to coke oven emissions.(Research)
May 1, 2006... To investigate associations among occupational exposure to coke oven emissions (COEs), oxidative stress, cytogenotoxic effects, change in the metabolizing enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST), and internal levels of polycydic aromatic...

Weather variability, tides, and Barmah Forest virus disease in the Gladstone region, Australia.(Research)
May 1, 2006... In this study we examined the impact of weather variability and tides on the transmission of Barmah Forest virus (BFV) disease and developed a weather-based forecasting model for BFV disease in the Gladstone region, Australia. We used seasonal...

Comparison of oxidative properties, light absorbance, and total and elemental mass concentration of ambient P[M.sub.2.5] collected at 20 European sites.(Research)
May 1, 2006... OBJECTIVE: It has been proposed that the redox activity of particles may represent a major determinant of their toxicity. We measured the in vitro ability of ambient fine particles [particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters [less than or...

Organophosphate pesticide exposure and neurobehavioral performance in agricultural and nonagricultural Hispanic workers.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Our understanding of the health risks of farmworkers exposed to pesticides in their work and home environments is rapidly increasing, although studies designed to examine the possible neurobehavioral effects of low-level chronic pesticide...

Gas-phase ambient air contaminants exhibit significant dioxin-like and estrogen-like activity in vitro.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Several adverse health effects, such as respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity, have been linked to exposure to particulate matter in ambient air; however, the biologic activity of gas-phase ambient organic air contaminants has not been...

The risk of infection from polychlorinated biphenyl exposure in the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena): a case-control approach.(Research)
May 1, 2006... The objective of this study was to determine whether the risk of mortality from infectious disease in harbor porpoise in U.K. waters increased with high exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), using a case--control study design. This is...

A survey of diving behavior and accidental water ingestion among Dutch occupational and sport divers to assess the risk of infection with waterborne pathogenic microorganisms.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Divers may run a higher risk of infection with waterborne pathogens than bathers because of more frequent and intense contact with water that may not comply with microbiologic water quality standards for bathing water. In this study we aimed to...

Impact of PCB and p,p'-DDE contaminants on human sperm Y:X chromosome ratio: studies in three European populations and the Inuit population in Greenland.(Research)
May 1, 2006... OBJECTIVE: Recent studies indicate that persistent organohalogen pollutants (POPs) may contribute to sex ratio changes in offspring of exposed populations. Our aim in the present study was to investigate whether exposure to...

The impact of sugar cane-burning emissions on the respiratory system of children and the elderly.(Research)
May 1, 2006... We analyzed the influence of emissions from burning sugar cane on the respiratory system during almost 1 year in the city of Piracicaba in southeast Brazil. From April 1997 through March 1998, samples of inhalable particles were collected,...

Calcium:magnesium ratio in local groundwater and incidence of acute myocardial infarction among males in rural Finland.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Several epidemiologic studies have shown an association between calcium and magnesium and coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity. In this small-area study, we examined the relationship between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) risk and...

Gestational mercury vapor exposure and diet contribute to mercury accumulation in neonatal rats.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Exposure of pregnant Long-Evans rats to elemental mercury ([Hg.sup.0]) vapor resulted in a significant accumulation of Hg in tissues of neonates. Because elevated Hg in neonatal tissues may adversely affect growth and development, we were...

Body burdens of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and biphenyls and their relations to estrogen metabolism in pregnant women.(Research)
May 1, 2006... Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs, dioxins), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental endocrine disruptors that have half-lives of 7-10 years in the human body and have toxicities that...

Comparative developmental neurotoxicity of organophosphate insecticides: effects on brain development are separable from systemic toxicity.(Research)
May 1, 2006... A comparative approach to the differences between systemic toxicity and developmental neurotoxicity of organophosphates is critical to determine the degree to which multiple mechanisms of toxicity carry across different members of this class of...

Assessment of xenoestrogens using three distinct estrogen receptors and the zebrafish brain aromatase gene in a highly responsive glial cell system.(Research)
May 1, 2006... The brain cytochrome P450 aromatase (Aro-B) in zebrafish is expressed in radial glial cells and is strongly stimulated by estrogens ([E.sub.2]); thus, it can be used in vivo as a biomarker of xenoestrogen effects on the central nervous system....

Case report: a case of wood-smoke-related pulmonary disease.(Research: Environmental Medicine)
May 1, 2006... CONTEXT: Biomass serves as a major fuel source for > 50% of the world's population. The global burden of disease attributed in indoor air pollution from biomass combustion accounts for approximately 3% of worldwide disability-adjusted...

Case report: hexachloroethane smoke inhalation: a rare cause of severe hepatic injuries.(Research: Environmental Medicine)
May 1, 2006... CONTEXT: We report on two patients, a 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old man, who had chemical pneumonitis and respiratory distress after inhaling hexachloroethane/zinc oxide (HC/ZnO) smoke during military training. CASE PRESENTATION: The...

Traffic, susceptibility, and childhood asthma.(Research: Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... Results from studies of traffic and childhood asthma have been inconsistent, but there has been little systematic evaluation of susceptible subgroups. In this study, we examined the relationship of local traffic-related exposure and asthma and...

Effects of prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins on mental and motor development in Japanese children at 6 months of age.(Research: Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... Several studies have shown that prenatal and/or postnatal background-level exposure to environmental chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, induces adverse effects on the neurodevelopment of children. However, other...

Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and postnatal growth: a structural analysis.(Research / Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... Normal endocrine function in utero and early in childhood influences later height and weight attainment. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental contaminants with suspected endocrine-disrupting properties. PCBs may mimic...

Fine particulate matter (P[M.sub.2.5]) air pollution and selected causes of postneonatal infant mortality in California.(Research: Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... Studies suggest that airborne particulate matter (PM) may be associated with postneonatal infant mortality, particularly with respiratory causes and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). To further explore this issue, we examined the...

Reduced intellectual development in children with prenatal lead exposure.(Research: Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... OBJECTIVE: Low-level postnatal lead exposure is associated with poor intellectual development in children, although effects of prenatal exposure are less well studied. We hypothesized that prenatal lead exposure would have a more powerful and...

Thyroid function and perchlorate in drinking water: an evaluation among California newborns, 1998.(Research: Children's Health)
May 1, 2006... Perchlorate (Cl[O.sub.4.sup.-]) has been detected in groundwater sources in numerous communities in California and other parts of the United States, raising concerns about potential impacts on health. For California communities where...

Pilot and feasibility clinical research grants in kidney or urologic diseases (R21).(Announcements: Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
May 1, 2006... The Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has a longstanding and substantial interest in research concerning the prevention and treatment of kidney...

Autism Centers of Excellence (R01).(Announcements: Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
May 1, 2006... Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental disorders with early childhood onset. ASD prevalence may be increasing, and ASD is more common than previously thought. These disorders, for which there is presently no cure and...

Calendar.(Announcements)(Calendar)
May 1, 2006... May 10-14 May, Wed-Sun. American Chemical Society Meeting and Exposition: The Biology of Genomes. Cold Spring Harbor, New York. Information: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Meeting and Courses Program, PO Box 100, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold...

Fed Up! Winning the War Against Childhood Obesity.
May 1, 2006... Fed Up! Winning the War Against Childhood Obesity By Susan Okie Washington, DC:Joseph Henry Press, 2005. 322 pp. ISBN: 0-309-09310-4, $27.95 cloth. Fed Up! traces the obesity epidemic through the lives of children, families, teachers, and...

New books.(Announcements)
May 1, 2006... Biochemical Mechanisms of Detoxification in Higher Plants: Basis of Phytoremediation G. Kvesitadze, G. Katisashvili, T. Sadunishvili, J.J. Ramsden New York:Springer, 2006. 256 pp. ISBN: 3-540-28996-8, $169 Building Healthy Communities in...