Funding for Air Findings
NIEHS grantees find more evidence of a link between fine particulate matter exposure and adverse human health effects (NIEHS News, p. A456). In other news, more money has been allocated to study the environmental health effects of the September 11 attacks and establish training programs for response workers.
Diesel: Durable and Dirty
Diesel engines--the workhorses of the machinery world--are durable but also dirty. The Focus (p. A458) looks at the human and environmental health costs of the particulate matter in diesel exhaust.
CAFE Clash
Environmentalists believe raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards is an easy way to help abate global warming, but automakers see such a move as not only ineffective but potentially dangerous too. The Spheres of Influence (p. A466) looks at both sides of this heated debate.
The Specifics of Soot
Soot has been around since the first campfire, but scientists still can't pinpoint exactly what composes it. The Innovations (p. A470) describes work to create synthetic soot particles under highly controlled conditions that may let scientists better characterize environmental soots.
Sex Ratios of Fish Embryos Near a Pulp Mill
Larsson and Förlin (p. 739) examined the relationship between exposure to kraft pulp mill effluent and male-biased sex ratios from the eelpout (Zoarces viviparus). The repeatedly identified male bias, the normalization after mill shutdown, and the reappearance the following year indicate that pulp mill effluents can affect sex ratios of nearby fish. (Also see Science Selections, p. A474)
Dual Effects of Phytoestrogens
Almstrup et al. (p. 743) describe an MCF-7 estrogenicity assay that simultaneously detects aromatase inhibition (aromatase converts testosterone to 17ß-estradiol) and estrogenicity by quantifying differences in the expression level of the estrogen-induced pS2 mRNA. The assay distinguished phytoestrogens from other estrogenic compounds and may explain reports antiestrogenic properties of phytoestrogens.
Reactive Oxygen Species from Particulate Air Pollution
Gurgueira et al. (p. 749) studied a rat model of short-term exposure to concentrated ambient particles (CAPs). CAPs inhalation caused tissue-specific increases in activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase, suggesting that increased air particulates not only have potential for oxidant injurious effects but may also trigger adaptive responses.
Bioavailability of DCA in GST-Depleted Rats
Saghir and Schultz (p. 757) studied the pharmacokinetics of dichloroacetate (DCA) in rats. The use of the glutathione S-transferase-zeta (GST)-depleted rat for assessing the kinetics of DCA in humans is supported by similarities in pharmacokinetics and the rate of in vitro metabolism of DCA by human and GST-depleted rat liver cytosol.
Effects of ETS on Asthmatic Adults
Eisner (p. 765) examined the relationship between serum cotinine, a biomarker of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure, and pulmonary function among 10,581 nonsmokers and 440 nonsmoking adults with asthma. ETS exposure was associated with decreased pulmonary function in adult females, especially in those with asthma. This analysis should provide impetus for policies that promote smoke-free environments.
Sexual Maturation, Endocrine Disruptors, and PAHs
Den Hond et al. (p. 771) measured polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners 138, 153, and 180 and dioxin-like compounds as biomarkers of exposure in 200 Belgian adolescents. Pubertal development in boys and girls was also assessed. Through endocrine disruption, environmental exposure to polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons may interfere with sexual maturation and, in the long run, adversely affect human reproduction.
Airborne Fungi in Office Buildings
Chao et al. (p. 777) examined airborne fungal populations and correlations with environmental parameters in offices and used principal component analysis to identify fungal taxa that covaried in air. Four major groupings shared similar ecological requirements. The results provide information on variability within airborne fungal populations in office environments over time.
Epidemic and Endemic Conditions from Waterborne Pathogens
Eisenberg et al. (p. 783) argue that two important features of risk assessment are identification of research needs and provision of information for decision making. Risk assessment for waterborne pathogens must be based on a description of the exposure and disease processes, and one that explicitly models transmission pathways of pathogens.
Detection of Xenoestrogens in Serum
Natarajan et al. (p. 791) report an efficient method for detecting nonsteroidal estrogens in a biologic sample. The authors performed an in vivo validation using female macaque monkeys treated with nonylphenol during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. The approach is appropriate for detecting exogenous nonsteroidal estrogens in serum samples.
Titanium Dioxide and Apoptosis in SHE Cell Fibroblasts
Rahman et al. (p. 797) studied the potential of ultrafine and fine titanium dioxide particles to induce chromosomal changes and apoptosis induction in Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells. The authors used bisbenzimide staining to detect formation of micronuclei and apoptotic bodies, and they identified the apoptosis-specific "DNA ladder pattern" resulting from internucleosomal cleavage using gel electrophoresis.
Preconceptional Exposure to Chromium in Mice
Cheng et al. (p. 801) treated male mice with chromium(III) chloride, a preconceptional carcinogen, 2 weeks before mating. The results in offspring support the hypothesis that preconceptional exposure may alter hormones, metabolism, and control of tissue gene expression, probably through epigenetic mechanisms. Risk of neoplasia may be influenced by these changes.
Reproductive Hormones after Fuel or Solvent Exposure
Reutman et al. (p. 805) estimated the internal dose of aliphatics (C6H14-C16H34) and aromatics (benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and m,p,o-xylenes) in exhaled breath of female U.S. Air Force personnel. The relationship between elevated exposure and lowered preovulatory luteinizing hormone suggests that compounds in fuels and solvents may act as reproductive endocrine disruptors. (Also see Science Selections, p. A474)
Cytotoxicity of Mycotoxins on Human Esophageal Cancer Cells
Myburg et al. (p. 813) investigated the cytotoxic effects of fumonisin B1 (a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides), diethylnitrosamine, and dietary catechol on a human esophageal epithelial cell line using the methylthiazol tetrazolium assay. The results of the study provided further evidence for the involvement of fumonisin B1 in the etiology of esophageal carcinoma.
Methemoglobinemia Risk Factors in Children
Zeman et al. (p. 817) investigated the risk factors for methemoglobinemia (MHG) in children in Transylvania, Romania. Analysis showed that MHG was strongly associated with nitrate/nitrite exposure in the diet (formula and tea made with water containing high levels of nitrates) and that breast-feeding protects infants younger than 6 months of age.
Environmental Histories in Pediatric Practice
Kilpatrick et al. (p. 823) conducted a mail survey of practicing pediatricians in Georgia to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding recording patients' environmental histories. Fewer than one in five reported training in environmental history-taking. Because of a growing interest in pediatric environmental health, there is considerable opportunity for training and for increasing the frequency of this activity. (Also see Science Selections, p. A475)
Children's Pesticide Exposure and Agricultural Spraying
Koch et al. (p. 829) analyzed urine samples for metabolites common to organophosphorus pesticide exposures in children. They report a temporal pattern of exposure over a full year and show that spraying can increase children's exposure in absence of parental work contact with pesticides or residential proximity to pesticide-treated orchards.
Organochlorines in Cord Blood of Newborns
Dallaire et al. (p. 835) describe time trends of organochlorines (14 polychlorinated biphenyls and 11 chlorinated pesticides) in umbilical cord plasma of newborns in a remote Canadian coastal population. These results show that prenatal exposure to organochlorines has significantly declined between 1993 and 2000 in this population.
Last Updated: July 23, 2002