Environews
Meeting and Greeting
This month's NIEHS News (p. A24) describes two recent institute-cosponsored meetings, "Thyroid Hormone and Brain Development: Translating Molecular Mechanisms to Population Risk" and "Understanding the Biology of Sex Differences in Environmental Health: A Thought Leaders Roundtable." This month we also introduce Headliners, a synopsis of recently published research by NIEHS grantees.
The Promises and Pitfalls of Biofuels
The Focus (p. A28) tells the story of biomass, which provides fuel for heating and cooking for billions of people around the world. These most traditional of fuels are cheap and easy to use, but the human and environmental health costs they exact may make them costlier than humans can continue to afford.
Women's Voices
Women's and men's different roles and responsibilities at home and work can be closely linked to environmental change. The Spheres of Influence (p. A34) tells how women's lives are uniquely tied to the environment, and how they are becoming more vocal as environmental leaders.
Getting the Gas Out
Biomass can be highly polluting, but it is also a source of hydrogen, one of the cleanest fuels around. The Innovations (p. A38) describes inexpensive, efficient new techniques for extracting hydrogen from biomass sources.
Research
Priorities for Development of Research Methods in Occupational Cancer
Occupational cancer research is important because occupation plays a significant role in a number of cancers and because occupational cohorts provide opportunities to evaluate the carcinogenic process. New methods for cancer research have not been widely applied to occupational cancer research. In this article, the National Occupational Research Agenda Team (p. 1) identifies needs in occupational cancer research methods.
Restructuring Nuclear Regulations
Nuclear safety and protection has kept pace with the rapid technologic advancements in power, engineering, and medicine. However, the regulatory system is characterized by complexity, confusion, public fear, and a 250% increase in costs over 20 years. Costs of regulatory compliance can be reduced sharply by examination and modification of key areas to improve regulatory effectiveness and efficiency (Mossman, p. 13).
Modeling Human Campylobacteriosis Ecology
Human campylobacteriosis, one of the most common enteric diseases, depends on a complex and poorly understood process of pathogen survival. Skelly and Weinstein (p. 19) propose a modeling approach based on Campylobacter survival trajectories through feces, food, and aquatic environments to guide research for intervention and control.
In Ovo Exposure to DDE Affects Medaka Sexual Development at Low Concentrations
DDT (and its metabolites DDE and DDD) continues to be found in fish tissues. An egg injection study using medaka and relevant concentrations of o,p´-DDE was conducted to examine its effects on sexual differentiation and development (Papoulias et al., p. 29). Reproductive development of both males and females may be impaired by low maternally derived concentrations of o,p´-DDE.
PAH-Induced Cytotoxicity in Cultured Rat Sertoli Cells
Sertoli cells support spermatogenesis and may be a target for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced cytotoxicity. Cultured rat Sertoli cells were exposed to concentrations of benz[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), or benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF). Cytotoxicity of BaA and BbF on Sertoli cells is exerted through apoptosis, whereas fluoranthene and BaA do not induce apoptosis (Raychoudhury et al., p. 33).
National Maps of Particle Mass and Mortality
As a starting point for refinement, Dominici et al. (p. 39) present maps of mortality associated with exposure to particulate matter < 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) for 88 metropolitan areas in the United States. Likelihood estimates indicate a positive association between daily variation of PM10 and mortality. Comparison of effects and heterogeneity across cities may offer new insight into mechanisms by which PM10 causes adverse health effects.
Low Concentrations of Air Pollution and Daily Mortality
Vedal et al. (p. 45) examined the relationship between daily mortality and very low concentrations of PM10, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide over 3 years in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dominant mortality associations were with O3 in summer and NO2 in winter. The findings support the notion of no threshold but raise concerns about other factors.
Dichloroacetic Acid-Induced Hepatopathology in Mice
Human risk assessment for dichloroacetic acid (DCA), a rodent liver carcinogen in drinking water, requires knowledge of dose-induced premalignant lesions and the likelihood of progression. Carter et al. (p. 53) studied histopathologic changes in livers of mice exposed to DCA. Results aid development of a biologically based model consistent with nongenotoxic mechanisms for carcinogenesis at low doses.
PCB Levels in Studies of Human Neurodevelopment
Interpretation of human data on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and neurodevelopment is problematic because concentrations are not uniformly expressed. A standardized recalculation of PCB 153 in maternal serum across 10 studies revealed median concentrations ranging from 30 to 450 ng/g lipid (Longnecker et al., p. 65). Results will allow direct comparisons of PCBs and neurodevelopment for all 10 studies, when completed.
Cooking Smoke and Asthma in the Elderly
Countries like India have large populations who use biomass fuels. Mishra et al. (p. 71) studied the effect of cooking smoke on asthma among elderly people (age
60). After controlling for confounding factors, the elderly in households using biomass fuels had higher prevalence of asthma compared to households using cleaner fuels, and the effect was greater among women.
Indoor Pesticide Exposure during Pregnancy
Indoor pesticide concentrations may be high in urban areas, and exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and early life may impair neurodevelopment. Berkowitz et al. (p. 79) provide data on pesticide exposure from questionnaires and analyses of maternal urinary metabolites. Exposures appear to be considerable and underscore the need to assess adverse effects on fetuses and infants. (Also see Science Selections, p. A43)
Inflammatory Responses to Bacteria and Fungi in Vitro
Strains of fungi and bacteria were tested for cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses in human and mouse cell lines. Potency decreased in the order of bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens > Streptomyces californicus > Bacillus cereus ) > fungi (Stachybotrys chartarum > Aspergillus versicolor > Penicillium spinulosum). Bacteria in water-damaged buildings should be considered a source of inflammatory effects (Huttunen et al., p. 85). (Also see Science Selections, p. A42)
Reproductive Success and Male Plasma Vitellogenin in Cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus
Production of male vitellogenin, an egg yolk protein precursor, has been used to indicate estrogens in the aquatic environment. Presence of male plasma vitellogenin was tested in cunner fish as an indicator of decreased reproductive success (Mills et al., p. 93). Neither percent fertile eggs nor the percent viable eggs correlated with male vitellogenin concentrations.
Bisphenol A Levels in Human Urine
Bisphenol A (BPA) is known to be estrogenic, although exposure and effects in humans are unclear. Information on BPA and its conjugates in urine and on lifestyle was collected from Japanese students in 1992 and 1999. BPA was higher in 1992 than in 1999 and correlated with consumption of coffee and tea. Recent changes in the interior coating of cans may, in part, explain these findings (Matsumoto et al., p. 101).
Children's Health
PBDEs: Precaution, Prevention, and Breast Milk Monitoring
Although chemical body burdens are easily monitored using breast milk samples, there is currently no breast milk monitoring program in the United States. Drawing on the experiences with PBDEs that were found to be rapidly increasing in breast milk in Sweden, Hooper and She (p. 109) describe the value of monitoring and how it might be accomplished.
Global Positioning System for Time-Location of Children
Elgethun et al. (p. 115) describe a novel global positioning system (GPS) instrument for tracking movements of young children. Spatial resolution (about 2-3 m outdoors and 4-5 m indoors) located subjects outside, proximal to buildings, and inside some buildings. This provides new accuracy for time-location in relation to exposure and eliminates recall bias and errors inherent with written subject-reported logs. (Also see Science Selections, p. A42)
Predicting Children's Exposure to Pesticides
Sexton at al. (p. 123) examined how well questionnaires can predict children's pesticide exposure as part of the Minnesota Children's Pesticide Exposure Study. Relevant sample sources were analyzed for chlorpyrifos, diazinon, malathion, and atrazine. The questionnaires and screening approach were ineffective for identifying and oversampling children and households with higher levels of pesticides.
Recent Temporal Trends in Orchidopexy in Great Britain
The rate of surgical orchidopexy to correct undescended testes was evaluated in Great Britain for 1992-1998. Orchidopexy rates for boys 0-14 years of age fell by 33%, with the steepest decline (50%) in those 5-9 years of age. Rates remained stable for men older than 15 years (Toledano et al., p. 129).
Last Updated: December 20, 2002