Environmental Health Perspectives articles from November 2007

Environmental Health Perspectives archives from November 2007

Time to Re-evaluate the guideline value for manganese in drinking water?(Review)
November 1, 2007... Manganese is an essential element for all living organisms and occurs naturally in soil, water, and plants. The neurotoxicity of manganese after high occupational exposure by inhalation has been well documented. Manganism, a Parkinson-like...

Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States.
November 1, 2007... Groundwater is used as a drinking-water supply by about one-half of the U.S. population, including almost all people residing in rural areas. As estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) (Hutson et al. 2004), domestic wells provide...

Embryonic exposure to domoic acid increases the susceptibility of zebrafish larvae to the chemical convulsant pentylenetetrazole.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Produced by multiple diatom species across several genera, most notably Pseudo-nitzschia, the toxin domoic acid (DA) is responsible for human poisonings (Wright et al. 1989), which are clinically diagnosed as amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP)...

HLA-B*1301 as a biomarker for genetic susceptibility to hypersensitivity dermatitis induced by trichloroethylene among workers in China.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Trichloroethylene (TCE) is known as a major pollutant that affects both the occupational and general environment. It has been used as an industrial degreasing agent, solvent, and extraction agent for approximately a century. Alternatively, the...

Protective role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in ozone-induced airway inflammation.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Ozone is a common urban air pollutant that remains a major health concern. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a strong association between high ambient [O.sub.3] concentration with cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality...

Elevated blood lead concentrations in essential tremor: a case-control study in Mersin, Turkey.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Essential tremor (ET) is very common, with a prevalence of 4% in the adult population over 39 years of age and 8.7% in adults over 79 years of age (Dogu et al. 2003). Genetic factors play a sizable role in disease etiology, and susceptibility...

Total fluid and water consumption and the joint effect of exposure to disinfection by-products on risk of bladder cancer.(RESEARCH)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Established risk factors for bladder cancer, including smoking and high-risk occupational exposures (Silverman et al. 2006), contain known carcinogenic compounds (e.g., aromatic amines) that may form DNA adducts in the bladder when not excreted...

Using lymphocyte and plasma Hsp70 as biomarkers for assessing coke oven exposure among Steel workers.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Coke oven workers are exposed to various occupational stressors, such as high carbon monoxide, high temperature, and toxic chemical substances including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are released into the workplace when coal is...

Short-term effects of carbon monoxide on mortality: an analysis within the APHEA project.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Adverse short-term effects of air pollution on health have been documented in recent years (Katsouyanni et al. 2001; Pope et al. 1995; Samet et al. 2000; Schwartz and Dockery 1992; Touloumi et al. 1996). The pollution indicators were mainly...

Asthma diagnosed after 11 September 2001 among rescue and recovery workers: findings from the World Trade Center Health Registry.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Following the attacks of 11 September 2001 (9/11) in New York City (NYC), an estimated 90,000 workers and volunteers were involved in rescue, recovery, clean-up, and support services (Dolan et al. 2006). The initial cloud of dust and smoke...

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2007... In the manuscript originally published online, the number of eligible participants (32,705) was incorrect; it has been corrected here to 30,655.

Potential confounding of particulate matter on the short-term association between ozone and mortality in multisite time-series studies.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Previous research demonstrated an association between short-term exposure to ozone and increased risk of mortality using time-series analyses of 95 U.S. urban communities (Bell et al. 2004), and similar associations have been demonstrated by...

Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in the U.S. population: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004 and comparisons with NHANES 1999-2000.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Concern about exposure of the ecosystem, including humans, to halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has existed for several decades. Many of these chemicals are persistent and toxic, tend to bioaccumulate, and can undergo long range...

Does short-term exposure to mobile phone base station signals increase symptoms in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields? A double-blind randomized provocation study.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Radio frequency electromagnetic fields (rf-emf) do not fall within the ionizing spectrum. Nevertheless, high-intensity rf-emf can cause thermal effects with serious implications for human health (Conway 2001). In everyday life, however, most...

Evaluation and application of the [RD.sub.50] for determining acceptable exposure levels of airborne sensory irritants for the general Public.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Although airborne chemicals can cause a number of harmful effects, the most common effect is sensory irritation (De Ceaurriz et al. 1981). Exposure to a sensory irritant may stimulate the trigeminal nerve endings and laryngeal receptors,...

Particulate air pollution, oxidative stress genes, and heart rate variability in an elderly cohort.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Particulate air pollution (PM) is associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death from cardiovascular disease (Brook et al. 2004; Forastiere et al. 2005; Samet et al. 2000; Schwartz 1999; Zanobetti and Schwartz 2005), but the...

Polychlorinated biphenyls 105 and 118 form thyroid hormone receptor agonists after cytochrome P4501A1 activation in rat pituitary GH3 cells.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of industrial compounds consisting of paired phenyl rings with various degrees of chlorination (Chana et al. 2002). Although their production was banned in the 1970s after more than a billion...

Nanosize titanium dioxide stimulates reactive oxygen species in brain microglia and damages neurons in vitro.(Report)
November 1, 2007... The increased use of engineered nanoparticles in medical, agricultural, industrial, manufacturing, and military sectors Nanosize titanium dioxide is used in a variety of consumer products (e.g., toothpastes, sunscreens, cosmetics, food...

Correction.(Correction notice)
November 1, 2007... Authorship of this article has been modified from the orignal article published online.

Characterization of source-specific air pollution exposure for a large population-based Swiss Cohort (SAPALDIA).(Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung Diseases in Adults)(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), has been linked to reduced lung capacity (Ackermann-Liebrich et al. 1997; Gauderman et al. 2004), elevated mortality (Dockery et al. 1993; Filleul et al. 2005; Jerrett et...

Unique bisphenol a transcriptome in prostate cancer: novel effects on ER[beta] expression that correspond to androgen receptor mutation status.(Report)
November 1, 2007... Accruing evidence indicates that exposure to environmental compounds that affect the function of the endocrine system may adversely impact human health. These substances deemed "endocrine disrupting compounds," or EDCs, are agents that disrupt...

Meeting report: hazard assessment for nanoparticles - report from an interdisciplinary workshop.(Research)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Close to 400 manufacturer-identified nanotechnology-based consumer products are now on the market (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 2007). Using increasingly sophisticated levels of control over the assembly of atoms and...

Effects of occupational noise exposure on 24-hour ambulatory vascular properties in male workers.(Environmental Medicine)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Several epidemiologic studies have reported that exposure to noise is associated with cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease (Babisch et al. 2005; Davies et al. 2005; Virkkunen et al. 2005; Willich et...

Home indoor pollutant exposures among inner-city children with and without asthma.(Children's Health)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Asthma is common among children in the United States, especially those who are racial/ethnic minorities living in inner cities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004). Although definitive causes of asthma remain to be discovered,...

Cord serum concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in relation to weight and size at birth.(Children's Health)(Report)
November 1, 2007... Polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) comprise a class of man-made, fluorinated organic compounds that have been used in a variety of consumer and industrial applications. Although these have been produced for many years, only recently have reports...

Perfluorinated chemicals and fetal growth: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort.(Children's Health)
November 1, 2007... Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are produced synthetically or from the metabolism of other perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) [Butenhoff et al. 2006; U.S. Environmental...

General policy.(2007 Instructions to Authors)
November 1, 2007... Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of peer-reviewed research and news dedicated to the discussion of the impact of the environment on human health. We also publish a quarterly Chinese-language edition and occasional...

Biomarkers of perfluorinated chemicals and birth weight.(Guest Editorial)
November 1, 2007... Two articles (Apelberg 2007; Fei 2007) appearing in this issue of Environmental Health Perspectives evaluate the relationship of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluororooctane sulfonate (PFOS) with birth weight; they constitute the first...

New deputy editors and medical editor.(Editorial)(Editorial)
November 1, 2007... In January 2007, EHP was fortunate to have Steve Kleeberger and Matt Longnecker step up to serve with me as interim deputy editors in the absence of a full-time permanent editor. Steve Xand Matt have given generously of their time, expertise,...

Secondary sulfate effects?(Correspondence)
November 1, 2007... Maynard et al. (2007) related mortality with ambient particulate black carbon (BC) and sulfate ([SO.sub.4]). They also associated [SO.sub.4] in Boston, Massachusetts, with "secondary," distant "coal combustion." Their correlation of 0.44...

Secondary sulfate effects: Schwartz responds.(Correspondence)
November 1, 2007... doi:10.1289/ehp.10293 I am not convinced by the argument of Grahame and Hidey in their letter. In fact, I find it unsupportable by modern atmospheric science and statistics. First, they argue that much of the sulfates in Boston,...

Does poor housing raise diabetes Risk?(BUILT ENVIRONMENT)
November 1, 2007... Poor housing may increase the risk of developing diabetes mellitus among middle-aged black Americans, suggests research published in the 15 August 2007 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology. What exactly causes this link, however,...

Shift work-cancer debate goes on.(OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH)
November 1, 2007... Working the night shift disrupts the normal circadian rhythms of the body. This work pattern has been linked in some studies with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and various cancers. Other findings to date have been either...

Mercury trackers.(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A first-of-its-kind whole-ecosystem study shows that atmospheric emissions of mercury from coalfired power plants and other sources end up in fish in as little as three years. The study, published online 27 September 2007 ahead of print in the...

Social environment and asthma.(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A paper in the 1 October 2007 edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine supports a two-way link between asthma and a child's social environment, as evaluated using a standard instrument. Social environment was...

Melnick receives Rall Award.(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The American Public Health Association has awarded its 2007 David P. Rall Award for Advocacy in Public Health to Ronald Melnick, senior toxicologist and director of special programs in the NIEHS National Toxicology Program. In his 27 years at...

Molding a link to depression.(MENTAL HEALTH)
November 1, 2007... The physical consequences of living in a damp, moldy house are well documented and include increased asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments, headaches, fatigue, and sore throats. People who live in moldy environments may also have more...

The sound behind heart effects.(NOISE POLLUTION)
November 1, 2007... More than 15 million Americans currently have some form of coronary heart disease (CHD), which involves a narrowing of the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Risk factors for CHD include diabetes, high blood...

World Resources Institute: climate, energy, and transport program.(ehpnet)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The World Resources Institute (WRI) works to advance scientifically based principles of sustainable and socially equitable development among international policy makers and institutions. One of its four central areas of work is climate...

Spice for life?(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Each year Escherichia coli causes 210 million cases of diarrhea, the leading cause of infant death in developing countries. Taiwanese researchers now report in the 3 October 2007 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that...

New bill for environmental health.(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Bipartisan legislation introduced in September 2007 by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) could boost funding for state participation in the CDC's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The Coordinated Environmental Public...

A whiff of phthalates.(The Beat)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... U.S. sales of air fresheners have grown by 50% since 2003, with an estimated 75% of households using these products, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which released a September 2007 report assessing the phthalate...

Carbon capture & storage Blue-Sky Technology or just blowing smoke?(Environews Focus)
November 1, 2007... Towering 650 feet over the sea surface and spouting an impressive burning flare, it would be easy to mistake the Sleipner West gas platform for an environmental nightmare. Its eight-story upper deck houses 200 workers and supports drilling...

Of two minds groups square off on Carbon Mitigation.(Spheres of Influence)
November 1, 2007... The highly urbanized area around Los Angeles is dotted with oil fields and refineries. Oil wells perch in yards, parking lots, even schools. The Wilmington oil field, which stretches beneath much of the land between Los Angeles and its port, as...

PFOS and PFOA in humans: new study links prenatal exposure to lower birth weight.(Science Selections)
November 1, 2007... Scientists have accumulated a wealth of evidence that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA, also known as perfluorooctanoic acid) accumulate in the environment and humans. Animal studies have shown these compounds to...

VOCs turn up in well water: sensitive measure reveals groundwater contaminant.(Science Selections)(volatile organic compounds)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... About 15% of the U.S. population get their drinking and household water from a largely unmonitored source: private residential wells. About 400,000 new wells are drilled every year. A new USGS study suggests that the water in a small percentage...

Drink a toast to tap water: study suggests water consumption benefit outweighs THM hazard.(Science Selections)(trihalomethanes)
November 1, 2007... Many water treatment systems use chlorine to disinfect drinking water. However, chlorine reacts with dissolved organic matter in water to create trihalomethanes (THMs), which have been associated with excess risk of bladder cancer in people who...

One-Two PM punch: gene combination increases vulnerability to air pollutant.(Science Selections)
November 1, 2007... Numerous epidemiologic studies have found a link between exposure to fine particles ([PM.sub.2.5]) and increased morbidity and mortality. Other studies have found evidence of some of the specific pathways through which this damage occurs, but...

Barry Commoner and the Science of Survival: The Remaking of American environmentalism.(Book review)
November 1, 2007... By Michael Egan Cambridge, MA:MIT Press, 2007. 283 pp. ISBN: 978-0-262-05086-9, $28 These days, no one scientist is so intimately associated in the general public mind with a particular scientifically based social problem as Barry...

New Books.(List)
November 1, 2007... Against Bioethics Jonathan Baron Cambridge, MA:MIT Press, 2007.248 pp. ISBN: 978-0-262-52478-0, $16 An Environmental History of Latin America Shawn William Miller Cambridge, UK:Cambridge University Press, 2007. ...