Article
Environmental Sciences
Wei-Jen Chen, Alison M. Rector, Monica Guxens, Carmen Iniguez, Michael D. Swartz, Elaine Symanski, Jesus Ibarluzea, Albert Ambros, Marisa Estarlich, Aitana Lertxundi, Isolina Riano-Galan, Jordi Sunyer, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Suneet P. Chauhan, Jennifer Ish, Kristina W. Whitworth
Summary: This study finds that PM2.5 exposure during specific weeks of pregnancy may have differential effects on fetal growth across the pregnancy period, and associations may be missed when averaging exposures over longer periods, highlighting the importance of temporally refined exposure estimates when studying the associations between air pollution and fetal growth.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Eleonora Rubini, Katinka M. Snoek, Sam Schoenmakers, Sten P. Willemsen, Kevin D. Sinclair, Melek Rousian, Regine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen
Summary: High maternal homocysteine within the reference range is negatively associated with first trimester embryonic growth and birth weight, and the effects of homocysteine are dependent on conception mode.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Miguel Garcia-Villarino, Antonio J. Signes-Pastor, Margaret R. Karagas, Isolina Riano-Galan, Cristina Rodriguez-Dehli, Joan O. Grimalt, Eva Junque, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Adonina Tardon
Summary: This study found that exposure to metal mixtures impacts growth indicators in children, with negative associations between cadmium and arm circumference, head circumference, and standing height, as well as lead and cobalt with reduced standing height and head circumference, and a positive association between molybdenum and head circumference.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sara Succu, Efisiangelo Contu, Daniela Bebbere, Sergio Domenico Gadau, Laura Falchi, Stefano Mario Nieddu, Sergio Ledda
Summary: Our study used ultrasonography and differential staining to describe the development of the fetal skeleton in sheep during the first part of gestation. We found that the timing of ossification and the growth rate of skeletal components are important factors for assessing normal prenatal growth. Our study provides valuable information on gestational management and early diagnosis of skeletal diseases. We also examined the ovine conceptus between the 20th and 70th day of gestation using uterus ultrasound examination, direct measurement, and osteo-cartilage dynamics analysis. Our results showed that CRL and BPD are accurate parameters for estimating gestational age in the first part of sheep pregnancy and provided an overview of the temporal dynamics of osteochondral development.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Bronius Zaliunas, Vaidile Jakaite, Juozas Kurmanavicius, Daiva Bartkeviciene, Kristina Norvilaite, Karolina Passerini
Summary: The aim of this study was to construct a reference range for fetal biometry for the Lithuanian population and compare them with other studies. The results showed significant differences between local and international standards, highlighting the need for local standards and the importance of updating fetal biometry reference charts for each generation.
ARCHIVES OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yu Qi Lee, Eugenie R. Lumbers, Tracy L. Schumacher, Clare E. Collins, Kym M. Rae, Kirsty G. Pringle
Summary: Suboptimal nutrition during pregnancy is recognized as a significant modifiable factor in the development of chronic diseases in offspring. The study found that dietary intake of pregnant Indigenous Australian women did not meet national guidelines and that maternal nutrition during pregnancy can impact fetal growth but not fetal kidney growth. Urgent strategies are needed to support and optimize nutrient intake in Indigenous pregnant women.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Wei Yang, Shujing Zu, Qiu Jin, Yu Liu, Chao Wang, Huimin Shen, Ruijing Wang, Hui Zhang, Meimei Liu
Summary: This study investigates the positive rate of chromosomal and monogenic etiologies in fetuses with hyperechoic kidney, as well as the pregnancy outcomes. The results show that the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in hyperechoic kidney is 20% to 22%, while the incidence of monogenic etiologies is 31%. The fetal mortality rate of non-isolated hyperechoic kidney is significantly higher than that of isolated hyperechoic kidney. The amount of amniotic fluid, kidney size, and degree of corticomedullary differentiation have a significant impact on prognosis.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Ting Xiong, Yuanjue Wu, Li Huang, Xi Chen, Yu Zhang, Chunrong Zhong, Qin Gao, Miao Hong, Xingwen Hu, Xuefeng Yang, Nianhong Yang, Liping Hao
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal serum albumin (MAlb) levels and fetal growth as well as the risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR). The findings revealed a reverse U-shaped relationship between MAlb and fetal growth, indicating an increased risk of FGR when MAlb levels were either too low or too high. These findings are important for understanding the relationship between maternal serum albumin and fetal health.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Khaled Abass, Tatiana Unguryanu, Eva Junque, Darja Mazej, Janja Snoj Tratnik, Milena Horvat, Joan O. Grimalt, Paivi Myllynen, Arja Rautio
Summary: In the Finnish Lapland, possible pollution transferred from the Pechenganikel industrial complex was investigated. Food samples and blood samples of pregnant women from the local area were analyzed, and detectable levels of organochlorine compounds and metal(oids) were found. However, the levels of these pollutants did not exceed safe limits, and there was a decrease in pollutant concentrations compared to previous studies.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maria Torres Toda, Marisa Estarlich, Ferran Ballester, Montserrat De Castro, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Jesus Ibarluzea, Carmen Iniguez, Aitana Lertxundi, Mikel Subiza-Perez, Jordi Sunyer, Adonina Tardon, Maria Foraster, Payam Dadvand
Summary: Exposure to residential greenspace is associated with fetal growth, particularly in relation to abdominal circumference, biparietal diameter, and femur length. Participants with lower socioeconomic status show stronger associations, and air pollution may mediate these associations.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Angela Becsek, Nikolaos Tzanidakis, Miguel Blanco, Marion Schmicke, Heinrich Bollwein
Summary: The study found that maternal, hormonal, and fetal factors are related to early fetal volume in mares, but are not suitable predicting factors for the investigated outcome parameters. Furthermore, the findings suggest that sex-specific growth differences exist in early gestation.
Article
Pediatrics
Claudia Suarez-Calleja, Jaime Aza-Morera, Tania Iglesias-Cabo, Adonina Tardon
Summary: The study found a significant association between tooth decay and brushing technique, as well as sugar intake frequency. Furthermore, low levels of vitamin D (<20 ng/ml) in both pregnant mothers and 8-year-old children may be a risk factor for the presence of caries in children.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jon G. Steller, Diane Gumina, Camille Driver, Emma Peek, Henry L. Galan, Shane Reeves, John C. Hobbins
Summary: This study compared differences in Doppler blood flow in four fetal intracranial blood vessels between fetuses with late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) and those with small for gestational age (SGA). The results showed that in the FGR group, there were more abnormalities in the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) than in the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) and vertebral artery (VA). Fetuses with abnormal VA pulsatility index (PI) had more severe clinical conditions, including lower birth weight, earlier delivery, and higher neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rate.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Szymon Plotka, Adam Klasa, Aneta Lisowska, Joanna Seliga-Siwecka, Michal Lipa, Tomasz Trzcinski, Arkadiusz Sitek
Summary: This study investigates the use of deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) to automatically perform measurements of fetal body parts and estimate gestational age and fetal weight. The results show that the automated measurements obtained by the CNN were comparable to those performed by experienced sonographers, and the differences were not statistically significant. The significance of this research lies in its potential to assist sonographers in clinical settings, improving measurement efficiency and addressing the shortage of medical experts.
PHYSICS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Nicholas Aldridge, Pranav Pandya, Judith Rankin, Nicola Miller, Jennifer Broughan, Nadia Permalloo, Annette McHugh, Sarah Stevens
Summary: This study aimed to measure the condition-specific detection rates for 14 physical conditions screened for by the NHS fetal anomaly screening programme (FASP) using fetal anomaly (FA) ultrasound scan. The retrospective audit of 12,694 diagnoses across a 3-year national cohort revealed that the performance of the FA scan exceeded expectations for most conditions, and for the remaining conditions, the majority of affected fetuses and babies were detected before the FA scan.
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Izaro Babarro, Jesus Ibarluzea, Elvar Theodorsson, Eduardo Fano, Andrea Lebena, Monica Guxens, Jordi Sunyer, Ainara Andiarena
Summary: This study analyzed the association between school context and bullying with hair cortisol concentration in children, considering the effect of executive function and sex. Results showed that being involved in bullying was related to higher cortisol concentration, which in turn was associated with poorer executive function.
CHILD NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Julia Sanguesa, Jordi Sunyer, Raquel Garcia-Esteban, Alicia Abellan, Ana Esplugues, Judith Garcia-Aymerich, Monica Guxens, Amaia Irizar, Jordi Julvez, Leire Luque-Garcia, Ana Cristina Rodriguez-Dehli, Adonina Tardon, Maties Torrent, Jesus Vioque, Martine Vrijheid, Maribel Casas
Summary: The study suggests that vitamin D levels in pregnant women and children are associated with allergic and asthma-related symptoms in childhood. Higher vitamin D levels at 4 years old are linked to a lower risk of atopic eczema in later years.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
L. Fabelova, A. Beneito, M. Casas, A. Colles, L. Dalsager, E. Den Hond, C. Dereumeaux, K. Ferguson, L. Gilles, E. Govarts, A. Irizar, M. J. Lopez Espinosa, P. Montazeri, B. Morrens, H. Patayova, K. Rausova, D. Richterova, L. Rodriguez Martin, L. Santa-Marina, T. Schettgen, G. Schoeters, L. S. Haug, M. Uhl, G. D. Villanger, M. Vrijheid, C. Zaros, L'Palkovicova Murinova
Summary: This study aimed to identify determinants of PFAS concentrations in sensitive population subgroups, such as pregnant women and newborns. The results showed that higher maternal age, primipara birth, and educational level were associated with higher PFAS concentrations. Higher PFAS concentrations in maternal blood were also associated with higher consumption of certain foods, while daily milk and dairy consumption were associated with lower PFAS concentrations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francesca Castiello, Beatriz Suarez, Andrea Beneito, Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa, Loreto Santa-Marina, Aitana Lertxundi, Adonina Tardon, Isolina Riano-Galan, Maribel Casas, Martine Vrijheid, Nicolas Olea, Mariana F. Fernandez, Carmen Freire
Summary: This study examined the associations between urinary metabolites of non-persistent pesticides and pubertal development in children from urban and rural areas in Spain. The results showed that higher concentrations of certain pesticide metabolites were associated with increased odds of pubertal development, especially in girls, and BMI may modify these associations.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wei-Jen Chen, Alison M. Rector, Monica Guxens, Carmen Iniguez, Michael D. Swartz, Elaine Symanski, Jesus Ibarluzea, Albert Ambros, Marisa Estarlich, Aitana Lertxundi, Isolina Riano-Galan, Jordi Sunyer, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Suneet P. Chauhan, Jennifer Ish, Kristina W. Whitworth
Summary: This study finds that PM2.5 exposure during specific weeks of pregnancy may have differential effects on fetal growth across the pregnancy period, and associations may be missed when averaging exposures over longer periods, highlighting the importance of temporally refined exposure estimates when studying the associations between air pollution and fetal growth.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Marlene Agerstrand, Kenneth Arinaitwe, Thomas Backhaus, Ricardo O. Barra, Miriam L. Diamond, Joan O. Grimalt, Ksenia Groh, Faith Kandie, Perihan Binnur Kurt-Karakus, Robert J. Letcher, Rainer Lohmann, Rodrigo O. Meire, Temilola Oluseyi, Andreas Schaeffer, Mochamad Septiono, Gabriel Sigmund, Anna Soehl, Temitope O. Sogbanmu, Noriyuki Suzuki, Marta Venier, Penny Vlahos, Martin Scheringer
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elke Rouxel, Nathalie Costet, Christine Monfort, Karine Audouze, Lourdes Cirugeda, Eric Gaudreau, Joan O. Grimalt, Jesus Ibarluzea, Fabrice Laine, Sabrina Llop, Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa, Florence Rouget, Loreto Santa -Marina, Martine Vrijheid, Cecile Chevrier, Maribel Casas, Charline Warembourg
Summary: Several studies have shown that prenatal exposure to certain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is associated with higher adiposity in childhood. This study aimed to assess the association between prenatal exposure to multiple POPs and adiposity markers and blood pressure in preadolescents. The findings suggest that prenatal exposure to POPs, especially organochlorine pesticides, is linked to unfavorable cardiometabolic health up to the age of 12.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
German Cano-Sancho, Charline Warembourg, Nuria Guil, Nikos Stratakis, Aitana Lertxundi, Amaia Irizar, Sabrina Llop, Maria -Jose Lopez-Espinosa, Xavier Basagana, Juan Ramon Gonzalez, Xavier Coumoul, Silvia Fernandez-Barres, Jean-Philippe Antignac, Martine Vrijheid, Maribel Casas
Summary: This study aims to investigate the joint associations and interactions between prenatal levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and maternal nutritional status on childhood obesity. The results showed a positive overall joint association between POPs-nutrients mixtures and overweight/obesity risk in children. Six organochlorine compounds and four per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances were found to contribute the most to overweight/obesity risk.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Perez-Crespo, Esmee Essers, Maria Foraster, Albert Ambros, Henning Tiemeier, Monica Guxens
Summary: Outdoor residential exposure to road traffic and multiple noise levels may compromise sleep quality in preadolescents. Road traffic noise is associated with reduced total sleep time and longer wake after sleep onset, but not with maternal-reported sleep disturbances.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rocio Fernandez-Iglesias, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Cristina Rodriguez-Dehli, Rafael Venta-Obaya, Isolina Riano-Galan, Adonina Tardon
Summary: This study aimed to investigate subgroups of children with different clusters of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors at 4 and 8 years of age, and their patterns of change between these two time points. At 4 years, three subgroups were identified: no disorders (55.9%); some disorders (21.2%), and central obesity (22.9%). At 8 years, three subgroups were identified: no disorders (59.8%); hypertension (17.9%), and central obesity (22.3%). Children who did not present any disorder at 4 years tend to remain in that state at 8 years. Central obesity may play a major role in the development of other disorders.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Llopis, Paula Sol Ventura, Nicolai Brachowicz, Julia Sanguesa, Mario Murcia, Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa, Gonzalo Garcia-Baquero, Aitana Lertxundi, Martine Vrijheid, Maribel Casas, Paula Petrone
Summary: This study found that younger age, higher body mass index, higher deprived areas, higher air pollution, and lower UV rays and humidity are associated with lower levels of 25(OH)D-3 in Spanish pregnant women.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
L. Notario-Barandiaran, A. Irizar, M. Begona-Zubero, R. Soler-Blasco, G. Riutort-Mayol, A. Fernandez-Somoano, A. Tardon, M. Casas, M. Vrijheid, A. Meharg, M. Carey, C. Meharg, K. Ralphs, C. McCreanor, J. O. Grimalt, J. Vioque, A. J. Signes-Pastor
Summary: In this study, the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and urinary metal concentrations in children was evaluated. It was found that high adherence to MD was associated with increased urinary levels of arsenic and copper, but also an increase in non-toxic arsenobetaine concentrations.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Elba Mauriz, Jose P. Fernandez-Vazquez, Cristina Diez-Flecha, Sofia Reguero-Celada, Tania Fernandez-Villa, Ana Fernandez-Somoano, Joan A. Cayla, Jesus A. Lozano-Garcia, Ana M. Vazquez-Casares, Vicente Martin-Sanchez
Summary: This study investigated the impact of a COVID-19 outbreak in a long-term care facility for the elderly after the initial vaccination. The results showed that 75.0% of residents and 56.3% of workers tested positive 4 days after vaccination. Among the 68 vaccinated individuals, 95.58% of the elderly residents were infected with symptoms, with 34.9% requiring hospitalization and 25.8% dying.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andreas Schaeffer, Ksenia J. Groh, Gabriel Sigmund, David Azoulay, Thomas Backhaus, Michael G. Bertram, Bethanie Carney Almroth, Ian T. Cousins, Alex T. Ford, Joan O. Grimalt, Yago Guida, Maria C. Hansson, Yunsun Jeong, Rainer Lohmann, David Michaels, Leonie Mueller, Jane Muncke, Gunilla Oberg, Marcos A. Orellana, Edmond Sanganyado, Ralf Bernhard Schaefer, Ishmail Sheriff, Ryan C. Sullivan, Noriyuki Suzuki, Laura N. Vandenberg, Marta Venier, Penny Vlahos, Martin Wagner, Fang Wang, Mengjiao Wang, Anna Soehl, Marlene Agerstrand, Miriam L. Diamond, Martin Scheringer
Summary: Pollution caused by chemicals and waste, along with climate change and biodiversity loss, poses a triple planetary crisis. In response, countries have established an intergovernmental science-policy panel to address chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention. Protecting this panel from conflicts of interest is crucial for its success.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Llucia Gonzalez-Safont, Marisa Rebagliato, Ane Arregi, Paula Carrasco, Monica Guxens, Oscar Vegas, Jordi Julvez, Marisa Estarlich
Summary: Sleep problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are interrelated in childhood and preadolescence. Sleep problems may serve as an alarm sign for the development of ADHD later on. This study suggests that healthcare systems should focus on children's sleep habits and sleep hygiene to prevent and manage ADHD problems.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)