Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kristin J. Marks, Penelope P. Howards, Melissa M. Smarr, W. Dana Flanders, Kate Northstone, Johnni H. Daniel, Andreas Sjodin, Antonia M. Calafat, Terryl J. Hartman
Summary: The study found that prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals may affect birth size, with PFAS being the most important contributors to the association with birth weight.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jaroslav Mosko, Michael Pohorely, Tomas Cajthaml, Michal Jeremias, Ana A. Robles-Aguilar, Siarhei Skoblia, Zdenek Beno, Petra Innemanova, Lucie Linhartova, Klara Michalikova, Erik Meers
Summary: The study focused on using slow pyrolysis to treat organic pollutants in stabilized sewage sludge, finding that temperatures above 600 degrees Celsius effectively removed the majority of organic pollutants. It was proposed that high temperature (>600 degrees Celsius) slow pyrolysis can satisfactorily remove organic pollutants from resulting sludge-char, making it a safe soil improver.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nuria Guil-Oumrait, Damaskini Valvi, Raquel Garcia-Esteban, Monica Guxens, Jordi Sunyer, Maties Torrent, Maribel Casas, Martine Vrijheid
Summary: This study found that prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants may have lasting effects on child BMI into adolescence, and exposure to certain pollutants during pregnancy may be associated with major risk factors for adult CM syndrome.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
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
Bora Plaku-Alakbarova, Oleg Sergeyev, Paige L. Williams, Jane S. Burns, Mary M. Lee, Russ Hauser, Susan A. Korrick
Summary: The study found that in a group of 8-9 year old Russian boys, serum dioxins, furans and PCBs clustered by chlorination pattern, with Sigma NDL-PCBs representing 4,4'-chlorinated PCBs most effectively. This may reflect shared persistence, metabolism or source of exposure of these chemicals in the human body.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Edwina Brennan, Alexandra E. Butler, Daniel S. Drage, Thozhukat Sathyapalan, Stephen L. Atkin
Summary: This study found a correlation between PCBs and certain circulating miRNAs, but not with metabolic parameters. In the healthy control group, these miRNAs were associated with menstrual cycle factors, while the correlation was weaker in the PCOS group. This suggests that PCBs may affect fertility through their impact on the hypothalamo-ovarian axis.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Tammy C. Bleak, Gloria M. Calaf
Summary: Environmental endocrine disruptor chemicals can disrupt the endocrine system in living organisms, leading to hormone-related cancers. It is crucial to study the susceptibility of organs to these substances.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anran Cai, Lutzen Portengen, Gokhan Ertaylan, Juliette Legler, Roel Vermeulen, Virissa Lenters, Sylvie Remy
Summary: This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs) and birth weight. Through transcriptome analysis, several metabolism-related gene expressions associated with both an MDC and birth weight were identified, and pathways related to genetic information processing were found to be overlapping. This study provides valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of MDC-induced altered birth weight.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Helen Zukin, Brenda Eskenazi, Nina Holland, Kim G. Harley
Summary: In a study of 415 pregnant Latina women, prenatal phthalate levels were not associated with hyperglycemia, impaired glucose tolerance, or gestational diabetes. However, there was an increased risk of excessive gestational weight gain.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elvira V. Brauner, Cecilie S. Uldbjerg, Astrid L. Beck, Youn-Hee Lim, Henriette Boye, Hanne Frederiksen, Anna-Maria Andersson, Tina K. Jensen
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between maternal paraben concentrations in second trimester urine and birth size of the offspring, specifically looking at sex-specific associations. The findings revealed that higher maternal exposure to n-butylparaben was associated with lower birth size in female offspring, while no significant relationship was observed in male offspring.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zorimar Rivera-Nunez, Carolyn W. Kinkade, Leena Khoury, Jessica Brunner, Hannah Murphy, Christina Wang, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Richard K. Miller, Thomas G. O'Connor, Emily S. Barrett
Summary: The study found that maternal serum levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with sex steroid hormone levels during pregnancy. Specifically, PFHxS is associated with increased testosterone levels in male fetuses, while PFNA and PFDA are associated with increased free testosterone levels in male fetuses. For female fetuses, PFHxS is associated with increased levels of estradiol and estriol. No associations were found for PFOS and PFOA.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Leticia Heras-Gonzalez, Diana Espino, Maria Jose Jimenez-Casquet, Alejandro Lopez-Moro, Fatima Olea-Serrano, Miguel Mariscal-Arcas
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the influence of BPA exposure, saliva analysis, and daily physical activity on the risk of overweight/obesity in schoolchildren from southern Spain. The results showed that body fat composition, not walking to and from school, lesser energy expenditure in sedentary activities, greater energy expenditure in sports, and exposure to BPA from dental sealants/composites significantly influenced the risk of overweight/obesity. Further research on the negative health effects of endocrine disruption in children is needed.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Toxicology
Talia N. Seymore, Zorimar Rivera-Nunez, Phoebe A. Stapleton, Jennifer J. Adibi, Emily S. Barrett
Summary: This comprehensive review examines the effects of phthalate exposures on various measures of placental health, including morphology, hormone production, vascularization, histopathology, and gene/protein expression. The review of 35 papers (24 human and 11 animal studies) reveals consistent changes in vascular and morphologic endpoints, suggesting potential implications for pregnancy complications and children's health. This review serves as an important resource for future research in this rapidly expanding field.
TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Maya Berlin, Hadar Flor-Hirsch, Elkana Kohn, Anna Brik, Rimona Keidar, Ayelet Livne, Ronella Marom, Amit Ovental, Dror Mandel, Ronit Lubetzky, Pam Factor-Litvak, Josef Tovbin, Moshe Betser, Miki Moskovich, Ariela Hazan, Malka Britzi, Itai Gueta, Matitiahu Berkovitch, Ilan Matok, Uri Hamiel
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the association between maternal PCBs levels and atopic reactions in their offspring. The findings showed no significant association between exposure to PCBs and asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis in children. More multi-participant studies with longer follow-up into later pediatric age are needed to further explore these relationships.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Akifumi Eguchi, Kenichi Sakurai, Midori Yamamoto, Masahiro Watanabe, Aya Hisada, Tomoko Takahashi, Emiko Todaka, Chisato Mori
Summary: In this study, the effects of PCB congener exposure on birth weight were examined. The results showed that exposure to PCB mixtures is associated with low birth weight, but specific impacts of individual PCB congeners on birth weight could not be determined.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Piera M. Cirillo, Michele A. La Merrill, Nickilou Y. Krigbaum, Barbara A. Cohn
Summary: In this study, it was found that perinatal serum DDT exposure in grandmothers was associated with obesity and early menarche in their granddaughters, suggesting a potential impact on the development of breast cancer and cardiometabolic diseases.
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Caitlin C. Murphy, Piera M. Cirillo, Nickilou Y. Krigbaum, Barbara A. Cohn
Summary: This study investigated the association between in utero exposure to 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate and the risk of cancer in offspring. The results showed that exposure in the first trimester increased the risk of any cancer, and the risk increased with the number of injections. Exposure in the second or third trimester conferred additional risk for male offspring, but not for female offspring. Furthermore, first trimester exposure was also associated with an increased risk of colorectal, prostate, and pediatric brain cancer.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana Miralles-Marco, Miaomiao Wang, June-Soo Park, Georgia Gatidou, Maria-Christina Nika, Samantha Bialorucki, Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, Nikolaos S. Thomaidis, Athanasios S. Stasinakis, Myrto Petreas
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of shipping and handling on PFAS in environmental samples, indicating that storage time may impact the recovery of PFAS. Additionally, analysis of local and international wastewater samples identified six PFAS and quantified their concentrations accordingly.
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Caitlin C. Murphy, Barbara A. Cohn
Article
Reproductive Biology
Eva L. Siegel, Katrina L. Kezios, Lauren Houghton, Camila Pereira-Eshraghi, Piera Cirillo, Barbara A. Cohn, Pam Factor-Litvak
Summary: Early menarche is associated with adverse health outcomes and reproductive cancers. Maternal prenatal thyroid function is linked to daughters' age at menarche, but not mediated by rapid weight gain.
REPRODUCTIVE TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Barbara A. Cohn, Piera M. Cirillo, Caitlin C. Murphy, Nickilou Y. Krigbaum, Arthur W. Wallace
Summary: This study reports the effectiveness of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection and death in veterans, with a decline in vaccine effectiveness observed for all vaccine types. The decline was greatest for the Janssen vaccine. However, vaccination remained protective against death for individuals who became infected during the Delta variant surge. The study also found variations in the vaccine effectiveness against death among different age groups.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Katrina L. Kezios, Shakira F. Suglia, David Matthew Doyle, Ezra Susser, Gary Bradwin, Piera Cirillo, Barbara Cohn, Bruce Link, Pam Factor-Litvak
Summary: This study compares the effects of different operationalizations on allostatic load (AL) and examines the expected disparities in AL by race, socioeconomic status (SES), and sex. The results demonstrate that different constructions of AL yield expected disparities by race and SES, while sex differences depend on whether sex-specific quartiles are used to construct the AL score.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Isabel S. Nelson, Katrina Kezios, Martine Elbejjani, Peiyi Lu, Kristine Yaffe, Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri
Summary: This study investigates the association of religious service attendance in midlife with cognitive function later in midlife. The results suggest that frequent involvement in religious services at midlife is associated with better global cognition and verbal memory but worse executive function.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Neal Jawadekar, Katrina Kezios, Michelle C. Odden, Jeanette A. Stingone, Sebastian Calonico, Kara Rudolph, Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri
Summary: Heterogeneous treatment effects refer to conditional average treatment effects (CATEs) that vary across population subgroups. Estimating such effects is important for identifying populations that may benefit or be harmed by a treatment. However, standard regression approaches have limitations in estimating heterogeneous effects. In this article, the authors propose a practical guide to using honest causal forests, a tree-based learning method, for identifying and estimating these effects.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Katrina L. Kezios, Scott C. Zimmerman, Adina Zhang, Sebastian Calonico, Neal Jawadekar, M. Maria Glymour, Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri
Summary: Individuals of Mexican ancestry in the United States experience socioeconomic disadvantages compared with whites, but have similar dementia risk. Evaluating whether migration selection factors explain this paradox is challenging due to statistical issues such as intercorrelation of risk factors and difficulties in comparing different groups.
Article
Oncology
Andrea C. Betts, L. Aubree Shay, Philip J. Lupo, Sandi L. Pruitt, Michael E. Roth, Marlyn A. Allicock, Barbara A. Cohn, Caitlin C. Murphy
Summary: This study examined adverse birth outcomes among adolescent and young adult women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy. The results showed that cancer diagnosis was significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm birth in this population.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Argyro Anna Kanelli, Margarita Kokkinaki, Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare, Chrisovalantis Malesios, Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos, Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of incorporating nature in urban design to create sustainable and resilient cities. This study investigates the mental health benefits of nature exposure during the outbreak and explores changes in use patterns of urban green spaces and urban blue spaces. The findings show a decrease in visitation rates to these spaces during the pandemic, with exercise and socialization as main drivers for visiting urban nature. Nature exposure is positively associated with mental health improvement.
Article
Oncology
Caitlin C. Murphy, Piera M. Cirillo, Nickilou Y. Krigbaum, Amit G. Singal, Barbara A. Cohn
Summary: This study found that offspring exposed to Bendectin in utero had a higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) compared to unexposed offspring. The increased risk may be due to the presence of dicyclomine in Bendectin. Further experimental studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify the mechanisms of risk.
JNCI CANCER SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Young-Mi Go, Jaclyn Weinberg, Sami Teeny, Piera M. Cirillo, Nickilou Y. Krigbaum, Grant Singer, ViLinh Tran, Barbara A. Cohn, Dean P. Jones
Summary: Breast cancer, accounting for 12% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, is the most common cancer globally. An exposome research study using high-resolution mass spectrometry identified suspect environmental chemicals associated with breast cancer and discovered potential mechanistic associations with the disease.
ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL
(2023)