Environmental Health Perspectives articles from November 2005

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from November 2005

Nuclear power and public health.(Guest Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Because of concern about the health and environmental effects of burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil to produce electrical energy in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in nuclear power stations as a "carbon-free" method...

The NIEHS responds to Hurricane Katrina.(NIEHS DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE)
November 1, 2005... I am very proud of the role that the NIEHS has played in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Extramural and intramural scientists have jointly developed and are implementing both short-term and long-term responses to this natural disaster....

Occupational carcinogens: ELF MFs.(Perspectives / Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... Siemiatycki et al. (2004) published a list of occupational carcinogens based largely on the evaluations published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), augmented with additional information on the extent of workplace...

ELF MFs: Straif et al. respond.(Perspectives / Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... Mild et al. suggest that we should have included magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies (ELF MFs) in our listing of occupational carcinogens (Siemiatycki et al. 2004). We acknowledge that ELF MFs have been classified as "possibly...

The NAS perchlorate review: second-guessing the experts.(Perspectives! Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... The Committee to Assess the Health Implications of Perchlorate Ingestion [National Academy of Sciences (NAS)] released its final report [National Research Council (NRC) 2005] in January 2005, recommending a reference dose (RfD) for perchlorate...

The NAS perchlorate review: adverse effects?(Perspectives! Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... Ginsberg and Rice (2005) argued that the reference dose for perchlorate of 0.0007 mg/kg per day recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Committee to Assess the Health Implications of Perchlorate Ingestion is not adequately...

The NAS perchlorate review: is the RfD acceptable?(Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... Risk assessors should always carefully evaluate whether a given reference dose (RfD) is the most appropriate choice for assessing risk. In the case of perchlorate, Ginsberg and Rice (2005) suggested that the RfD proposed by the National...

The NAS perchlorate review: Ginsberg et al. respond.(Correspondence)
November 1, 2005... We would like to respond to the comments from several members of the NAS perchlorate panel (Johnston et al.) and from two other groups (Gibbs et al., Strawson et al.). These letters were in response to our commentary published in EHP (Ginsberg...

Erratum.(Correspondence)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... In Figure 2D of Greer et al. [Environ Health Perspect 110:927-937 (2002)], there should have been seven subjects in the 0.007 mg/kg-day group, but EHP erroneously included an extra line (without symbols), indicating a nonexistent eighth...

In disaster's wake: Tsunami lung.(Infectious Disease)
November 1, 2005... When the Asian tsunami struck on 26 December 2004, health authorities braced for an onslaught of waterborne illnesses including malaria and cholera, which often follow such disasters. But saltwater flooded the freshwater breeding grounds of the...

Any dose is too high.(Radiation)
November 1, 2005... Any exposure to radiation may cause cell damage that could lead to cancer, according to a June 2005 report from the National Research Council. The risk noted by the report, though small, is a third higher than the risk of 8.46 cancers per...

Smoke-Free Beijing Olympics.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... WHO officials announced in April 2005 that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be smoke-free, a ban the city's mayor has personally endorsed. Experts say the move signals an official effort by China to heighten awareness of the dangers of...

Nuclear cleanup slowdown.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... In 2002, the U.S. DOE began an accelerated cleanup program for nuclear waste aimed at reducing cleanup costs by $50 billion and shortening the timeline by 35 years. In July 2005, the GAO released a review of this program which found that...

Flush with progress.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... The homeless population of Vancouver, British Columbia, has doubled in recent years. Now high populations of homeless persons and drug abusers have created an unsanitary problem for the city--streets, alleys, and parking lots around the...

This is YourAir calling.(Information Technology)
November 1, 2005... Consider the following scenario: You're making last-minute preparations the night before a planned day of outdoor activities. Suddenly your cell phone rings. It's not a friend or relative, but a text message warning you that air pollution...

The radical theory of sneezing.(Allergies)
November 1, 2005... Anyone with common seasonal allergies knows perfectly well what's causing their misery: pollen! And allergists know why pollen makes people sneeze: the body's immune system is releasing a lot of inflammatory cells, including neutrophils and...

Greener Education Materials for Chemists.(ehp net)
November 1, 2005... Green chemistry aims in part to help clean up chemical processing by reducing or eliminating toxic elements from production and use. One university at the forefront of the movement is the University of Oregon, which has developed a website,...

Heavy metals in Ayurvedic meds.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... Health Canada has issued a warning to consumers following a 15 December 2004 JAMA report that 1 in 5 Ayurvedic medicinal products made in South Asia and sold in the Boston area contained potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury, or arsenic....

Ecolabeling for fisheries.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... As concern over the fate of wild marine fish stocks grows, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization took action in March 2005 by adopting a set of voluntary guidelines for the ecolabeling of fish products. These guidelines advise governments...

Wildfire pollution widespread.(The Beat)
November 1, 2005... Research by the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research in the 14 June 2005 issue of Geophysical Research Letters shows that particularly intense wildfires in Alaska and Canada during the summer of 2004 emitted as much carbon monoxide as...

Global Earth Observations for health.(Environews / NIEHS News)
November 1, 2005... Every day, Earth-observing satellites outfitted with remote-sensing technology generate vast data streams that scientists use to study the biosphere--the part of the Earth and its atmosphere that can support life. These orbiting systems are...

Online and on track with Veggie-Mon.(Beyond the Bench)
November 1, 2005... Too much computer time may not be good for kids, but sometimes surfing the Internet can be a wholesome activity, especially when it involves websites that help children learn how to make informed choices about their own health. One such site is...

Genetic reprogramming and benign uterine tumors.(Headliners: NIEHS-Supported Research: Uterine Leiomyoma)
November 1, 2005... Cook JD, Davis BJ, Cai SL, Barrett JC, Conti CJ, Walker CL. 2005. Interaction between genetic susceptibility and early-life environmental exposure determines tumor-suppressor-gene penetrance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102:8644-8649. Uterine...

Power surge: renewed interest in nuclear energy.(Focus: Power Surge)
November 1, 2005... Just past its 50th birthday, commercial nuclear energy is experiencing a tentative rejuvenation that could result in a greater role as a global source of electricity. Skeptics still harbor many of the objections that have slowed or stopped the...

Harvesting the potential of biomass.(Environews / Spheres of Influence)
November 1, 2005... As fossil fuel prices and consumption both continue rising, the search is on for alternative fuels. Fuel for vehicles is taking center stage, now that 67% of U.S. petroleum consumption goes toward fueling vehicles, according to the U.S....

Microbe power!(Environews! Innovations)
November 1, 2005... Increasingly, problems of rising energy demands, dwindling resources, and pollution concerns are being mitigated by turning waste into usable products. Now some researchers are eyeing organic wastes from homes, food processing, and other...

Particles in practice: how Ultrafines disseminate in the body.(Environews / Science Selections)
November 1, 2005... Ultrafine particles (UFPs), those less than 100 nanometers in diameter, have existed for millennia in natural settings. But with the significant increase in UFPs resulting from human activities in the past few centuries (largely through...

Testing the additivity assumption: chemical mixtures and thyroid function.(Environews / Science Selections)
November 1, 2005... It is well established that many environmental contaminants can disrupt thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis, which is vital during fetal development and for a variety of physiological processes in adults. Among known TH disruptors are...

Cadmium and kidneys: low-level exposure and effects in women.(Environews / Science Selections)
November 1, 2005... Widespread exposure to the heavy metal cadmium occurs through both natural and industry-related sources. The general population is likely to encounter low-level chronic exposure through smoking and from dietary sources, particularly shellfish,...

Indoor air complaints: VOCs may not be cause of acute effects.(Environews / Science Selections)
November 1, 2005... Over the past few decades, researchers have been trying to pin down the specific chemical culprits behind increasing complaints of poor air quality inside offices and other buildings. Among the many chemicals suspected so far have been volatile...

Hypertension and exposure to noise near airports (HYENA): study design and noise exposure assessment.(Commentary)
November 1, 2005... An increasing number of people live near airports with considerable noise and air pollution. The Hypertension and Exposure to Noise near Airports (HYENA) project aims to assess the impact of airport-related noise exposure on blood pressure (BP)...

Genetic factors that might lead to different responses in individuals exposed to perchlorate.
November 1, 2005... Perchlorate has been detected in groundwater in many parts of the United States, and recent detection in vegetable and dairy food products indicates that contamination by perchlorate is more widespread than previously thought. Perchlorate is a...

Personal exposure to ultrafine particles and oxidative DNA damage.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Exposure in ultrafine particles (UFPs) from vehicle exhaust has been related to risk of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and cancer, even though exposure assessment is difficult. We studied personal exposure in terms of number...

Distribution of brevetoxin (PbTx-3) in mouse plasma: association with high-density lipoproteins.(Research)
November 1, 2005... We investigated the brevetoxin congener PbTx-3 to determine its distribution among carrier proteins, including albumin and blood lipoproteins. Using a radiolabeled brevetoxin tracer (PbTx-3), we found that 39% of the radiolabel remained...

Proximity to pollution sources and risk of amphibian limb malformation.(Research)
November 1, 2005... The cause of limb deformities in wild amphibian populations remains unclear, even though the apparent increase in prevalence of this condition may have implications for human health. Few studies have simultaneously assessed the effect of...

Framing scientific analyses for risk management of environmental hazards by communities: case studies with seafood safety issues.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Risk management provides a context for addressing environmental health hazards. Critical to this approach is the identification of key opportunities for participation. We applied a framework based on the National Research Council's (NRC)...

Associations of uric acid with polymorphisms in the [delta]-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, vitamin D receptor, and nitric oxide synthase genes in Korean lead workers.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Recent research suggests that uric acid may be nephrotoxic at lower levels than previously recognized and that it may be one mechanism for lead-related nephrotoxicity. Therefore, in understanding mechanisms for lead-related nephrotoxicity, it...

Within-home versus between-home variability of house dust endotoxin in a birth cohort.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Endotoxin exposure has been proposed as an environmental determinant of allergen responses in children. To better understand the implications of using a single measurement of house dust endotoxin to characterize exposure in the first year of...

Some environmental contaminants influence motor and feeding behaviors in the ornate wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) via distinct cerebral histamine receptor subtypes.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Common environmental contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticides pose serious risks to behavioral and neuroendocrine functions of many aquatic organisms. In the present study, we show that the heavy metal cadmium and the pesticide...

Personal care product use predicts urinary concentrations of some phthalate monoesters.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Phthalates are multifunctional chemicals used in a variety of applications, including personal care products. The present study explored the relationship between patterns of personal care product use and urinary levels of several phthalate...

Induction of proinflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein in human macrophage cell line U937 exposed to air pollution particulates.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Exposure to particulate matter air pollution causes inflammatory responses and is associated with the progression of atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular mortality. Macrophages play a key role in atherogenesis by releasing...

Health effects of a mixture of indoor air volatile organics, their ozone oxidation products, and stress.(Research)
November 1, 2005... In our present study we tested the health effects among women of controlled exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with and without ozone ([O.sub.3]), and psychological stress. Each subject was exposed to the following three conditions...

Thyroid-hormone--disrupting chemicals: evidence for dose-dependent additivity or synergism.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Endocrine disruption from environmental contaminants has been linked to a broad spectrum of adverse outcomes. One concern about endocrine-disrupting xenobiotics is the potential for additive or synergistic (i.e., greater-than-additive) effects...

Ultrafine particles cross cellular membranes by nonphagocytic mechanisms in lungs and in cultured cells.(Research)
November 1, 2005... High concentrations of airborne particles have been associated with increased pulmonary and cardiovascular mortality, with indications of a specific toxicologic role for ultrafine particles (UFPs; particles < 0.1 [micro]). Within hours after...

Consistent pulmonary and systemic responses from inhalation of fine concentrated ambient particles: roles of rat strains used and physicochemical properties.
November 1, 2005... Several studies have reported health effects of concentrated ambient particles (CAP) in rodents and humans; however, toxicity end points in rodents have provided inconsistent results. In 2000 we conducted six 1-day exposure studies where...

Do organohalogen contaminants contribute to histopathology in liver from East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus)?(Research)
November 1, 2005... In East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus), anthropogenic organohalogen compounds (OHCs) (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) contributed to renal lesions and are believed...

PM source apportionment for short-term cardiac function changes in [ApoE.sup.-/-] mice.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Daily rates of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are have been associated with daily variations in fine particulate matter (aerodynamic diameter [less than or equal to] 2.5 [micro]m, [PM.sub.2.5]), but little is known about the influences...

Cellular and hormonal disruption of fetal testis development in sheep reared on pasture treated with sewage sludge.(Research)
November 1, 2005... The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether experimental exposure of pregnant sheep to a mixture of environmental chemicals added to pasture as sewage sludge (n = 9 treated animals) exerted effects on fetal testis development or function;...

A rapid, physiologic protocol for testing transcriptional effects of thyroid-disrupting agents in premetamorphic xenopus tadpoles.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Increasing numbers of substances present in the environment are postulated to have endocrine-disrupting effects on vertebrate populations. However, data on disruption of thyroid signaling are fragmentary, particularly at the molecular level....

Systemic effects of arctic pollutants in beluga whales indicated by CYP1A1 expression.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) is induced by exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and planar halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) such as non-ortho polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we examined CYP1A1 protein...

Organotins disrupt the 11[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2-dependent local inactivation of glucocorticoids.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Organotins, important environmental pollutants widely used in agricultural and industrial applications, accumulate in the food chain and induce imposex in several marine species as well as neurotoxic and immunotoxic effects in higher animals....

Workgroup report: drinking-water nitrate and health--recent findings and research needs.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Human alteration of the nitrogen cycle has resulted in steadily accumulating nitrate in our water resources. The U.S. maximum contaminant level and World Health Organization guidelines for nitrate in drinking water were promulgated to protect...

Workgroup report: biomonitoring study design, interpretation, and communication--lessons learned and path forward.(Research)
November 1, 2005... Human biomonitoring investigations have provided data on a wide array of chemicals in blood and urine and in other tissues and fluids such as hair and human milk. These data have prompted questions such as a) What is the relationship between...

Meeting report: structural determination of environmentally responsive proteins.(Research)
November 1, 2005... The three-dimensional structure of gene products continues to be a missing lynchpin between linear genome sequences and our understanding of the normal and abnormal function of proteins and pathways. Enhanced activity in this area is likely to...

Tubular and glomerular kidney effects in Swedish women with low environmental cadmium exposure.(Research / Environmental Medicine)
November 1, 2005... Cadmium is a well-known nephrotoxic agent in food and tobacco, but the exposure level that is critical for kidney effects in the general population is not defined. Within a population-based women's health survey in southern Sweden (Women's...

Decline of ambient air pollution levels and improved respiratory health in Swiss children.(Research / Children's Health)
November 1, 2005... The causality of observed associations between air pollution and respiratory health in children is still subject to debate. If reduced air pollution exposure resulted in improved respiratory health of children, this would argue in favor of a...

Birth outcomes and prenatal exposure to ozone, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter: results from the children's health study.(Research / Children's Health)
November 1, 2005... Exposures to ambient air pollutants have been associated with adverse birth outcomes. We investigated the effects of air pollutants on birth weight mediated by reduced fetal growth among term infants who were born in California during 1975-1987...

In utero exposure to dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls and its relations to thyroid function and growth hormone in newborns.(Research / Children's Health)
November 1, 2005... The aim of this study is to examine the association between transplacental exposure to dioxins/polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and thyroid and growth hormones in newborns. We recruited 118 pregnant women, between 25 and 34 years of age, at the...

Biologic monitoring to characterize organophosphorus pesticide exposure among children and workers: an analysis of recent studies in Washington State.(Research / Children's Health)
November 1, 2005... We examined findings from five organophosphorus pesticide biomonitoring studies conducted in Washington State between 1994 and 1999. We compared urinary dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP) concentrations for all study groups and composite dimethyl...

Development of medical countermeasures to chemical terrorism--the NIEHS's involvement in a government-wide research effort.(Announcements / NIEHS Extramural Update)
November 1, 2005... The attacks of September 11, 2001, using airplanes, followed closely by e biologic attacks using anthrax spores placed in letters, have illustrated how vulnerable our society is to such acts of terrorism. Since these events, the NIH has led the...

The Environmental Fellows program at Harvard University.(Announcements / Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
November 1, 2005... The University Center for the Environment has created the Environmental Fellows program to enable recent doctorate recipients to use and expand Harvard's extraordinary resources to tackle complex environmental problems. The Environmental...

Established Investigator Award in Cancer Prevention & Control.(Announcements / Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
November 1, 2005... The objective of the NCI Established Investigator Award in Cancer Prevention and Control (K05) is to provide qualified researchers with protected time to devote to research and mentoring. The award is designed for established scientists who...

Fall 2006 Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) undergraduate student fellowships.(Announcements / Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
November 1, 2005... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) program, is offering Undergraduate Fellowships for bachelor level students in environmentally related fields of study. The deadline for receipt...

The obese and diabetic intrauterine environment: long-term metabolic or cardiovascular consequences in the offspring.(Announcements / Fellowships, Grants, & Awards)
November 1, 2005... It has long been recognized that the intrauterine environment can have profound effects on the development and health of the fetus. Alterations in maternal nutritional status resulting from caloric or protein restrictions as well as specific...

Calendar.(Announcements)(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... 2005 November 9-11 November, Wed-Fri. Emerging Topics in Breast Cancer and the Environment Research. East Lansing, Michigan. Information: Leslie Reinlib, DERT, SPHB, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA, 919-541-4998,...

Essentials of Medical Geology: Impacts of the Natural Environment on Public Health.
November 1, 2005... Edited by Olle Selinus, Brian Alloway, Jose A. Centeno, Robert B. Finkleman, Ron Fuge, Ulf Lindh, and Pauline Smedley Burlington, MA:Elsevier Academic Press, 2005. 812 pp. ISBN: 0-1263-6341-2, $99.95 cloth Emerging disease, pesticides,...

New books.(Announcements)
November 1, 2005... Comprehensive Toxicology: General Principles J.A. Bond Burlington, MA:Elsevier, 2005. 354 pp. ISBN: 0-08-042966-1, $146.95 Comprehensive Toxicology: Renal Toxicology R.S. Goldstein Burlington, MA:Elsevier, 2005. 716 pp. ISBN: 0-08-042972-6,...