Author Interviews, OBGYNE, Pediatrics, Toxin Research, Weight Research / 13.11.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Joseph M. Braun PhD Assistant Professor Department of Epidemiology in the Program in Public Health Brown University Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Braun:  Perfluoroalkyl substances are a class of chemicals used to produce stain/water repellent textiles, fire fighting foams, and non-stick coatings. Virtually all people in the US have measurable levels of several different perfluoroalkyl substances in their blood. There is concern that early life exposure to these chemicals can increase the risk of obesity by reducing fetal growth or promoting adipogenesis. What are the main findings? Dr. Braun:  Pregnant women in our study had perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations in their blood that were over 2-fold higher than pregnant women in the United States (median: 5.3 vs. 2.3 ng/mL) during the same time period (2003-2006). Children born to women with higher serum PFOA concentrations during pregnancy had a higher body mass index, greater waist circumference, and more body fat at 8 years of age compared to children born to women with lower serum PFOA concentrations. In addition, children born to women with higher serum PFOA concentrations during pregnancy gained more fat mass between 2 and 8 years of age than children born to women with lower PFOA concentrations. (more…)
Author Interviews, CDC, Occupational Health, Toxin Research / 24.10.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Geoffrey M. Calvert MD Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health CDC Cincinnati, Ohio Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Calvert: Since 1987, acute occupational pesticide-related illness and injury has been one of the conditions under surveillance by NIOSH. NIOSH supports these surveillance activities by providing cooperative agreement funding and technical support to state health departments. The SENSOR-Pesticides program is also partially funded by EPA. A total of 12 states currently participate in the SENSOR-Pesticides program. With the 2015 publication of the Summary of Notifiable Non-Infectious Conditions and Disease Outbreaks – United States, official statistics for the occurrence of acute occupational pesticide-related illness and injury were published for the first time in the same volume of the MMWR with information on nationally notifiable infectious diseases. (more…)
Author Interviews, OBGYNE, Toxin Research / 11.10.2015

Joan A. Casey, PhD, MA Health and Society Scholar Robert Wood Johnson Foundation UC San Francisco/UC Berkeley MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Joan A. Casey, PhD, MA Health and Society Scholar Robert Wood Johnson Foundation UC San Francisco/UC Berkeley  Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Casey: ​Eighteen percent of global gas production now comes from unconventional sources. Pennsylvania, in particular, has seen huge increases in unconventional natural gas development (i.e., "fracking") over the past decade. In 2006, there were fewer than 100 unconventional wells, by 2013, there were over 7,000. Developing a single unconventional well takes hundreds to thousands of diesel truck trips to bring in materials, millions of gallons of water mixed with chemicals and sand, and hydraulic fracturing and production, which can release air pollutants and create noise and other community disturbances. We evaluated whether exposure to unconventional natural gas development activity in Pennsylvania was associated with adverse birth outcomes in those living nearby. Mothers who lived near active natural gas wells operated by the fracking industry in Pennsylvania were at an increased risk for preterm birth and for having a high-risk pregnancy. (more…)
Author Interviews, OBGYNE, Toxin Research / 04.09.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Jianying Hu Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes College of Urban and Environmental Sciences Peking University, Beijing People’s Republic of China  Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Early pregnancy loss or first-trimester miscarriage is the most common complication of human reproduction, and the miscarriage incidence is increasing around the world in the recent decades. Though there are many causes for miscarriage, approximately 40% of early pregnancy loss remains unexplained. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been considering one of major risk factor to affect female reproduction. Of these EDCs related to reproductive toxicity, phthalates is of concern due to their wide usage and contamination in environment, and the reproductive toxicity in the female mouse. Our study found that the levels of phthalates in the women who underwent miscarriage were statistically significantly high, and the risk of clinical pregnancy loss was associated with urinary concentration of phthalate metabolites. (more…)
Author Interviews, Toxin Research / 26.08.2015

Carla Kantara, Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Carla Kantara, Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston   Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Kantara: The increasing threats of radiation exposure and nuclear disasters have become a significant concern for the United States and countries worldwide. Such concern has increased national and international recognition for the need to develop novel medicinal countermeasures that can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage and keep thousands of people alive, even if administered a day or more after nuclear exposure. To date, there are only a few mitigating or radioprotective agents that are approved by the FDA, however they are unsuccessful in treating the gastrointestinal toxicity induced by high-dose radiation exposures, and are ineffective as a post-exposure treatment for the thousands of potential exposed individuals. In our study, we showed that a single injection of TP508, administered 24 hours post-radiation, significantly increased mice survival and effectively protected the gastrointestinal mucosa by delaying crypt dissociation and directly stimulating stem cell regeneration. This suggests that TP508 may be an effective post-exposure medicinal countermeasure for mitigating radiation-induced gastrointestinal damage and mortality following a nuclear incident and may provide exposed victims additional time to be evacuated so that they can receive additional life-saving medical treatment. (more…)
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Toxin Research / 27.07.2015

Andrew T. Patterson, MD The Ohio State University College of Medicine The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Columbus, OhioMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Andrew T. Patterson, MD The Ohio State University College of Medicine The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Columbus, Ohio Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Patterson: The utilization of Agent Orange (AO) and other herbicides by the United States during the Vietnam War was controversial at the time and remains a prominent topic of scrutiny even today due to the potential long-term health effects facing exposed military and civilian personnel. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in accordance with the National Academy of Sciences publishes a semi-annual review of the scientific and medical data regarding the resultant medical effects of Agent Orange and other organochlorine chemical exposures, however, skin diseases are no longer comprehensively assessed. This represents an important practice gap, as in our experience, we had encountered a significant number of patients inquiring whether their cutaneous ailment could be the result of Agent Orange exposure. Our goal was to perform a systematic review of the literature and produce a practical summary of the current evidence regarding cutaneous manifestations of organochlorine exposures that could be utilized by military and non-military dermatologists alike when responding to questions related to prior Agent Orange contact. After examining the literature, there appears to be an increased risk for chloracne, porphyria cutanea tarda, cutaneous lymphoma, and soft-tissue sarcomas including dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and leiomyosarcomas in organochlorine-exposed patients. Some evidence exists for a possible increased incidence of melanomas, non-melanoma skin cancers, milia, eczema, dyschromias, dysesthesias, and rashes not otherwise specified, but the data is not conclusive. Even less support exists for an association with psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, and hypertrichosis (more…)
Author Interviews, PLoS, Toxin Research, University of Pennsylvania / 17.07.2015

Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., M.D. Robert L. Mayock and David A. Cooper Professor of Medicine Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Division Director, Airways Biology Initiative Deputy Director, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology Adjunct Professor, Wistar Institute Philadelphia, PA 19104-3413MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., M.D. Robert L. Mayock and David A. Cooper Professor of Medicine Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Division Director, Airways Biology Initiative Deputy Director, Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology Adjunct Professor, Wistar Institute Philadelphia, PA  19104-3413 Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Panettieri: Over the past ten years in the US, unconventional gas and oil drilling (hydraulic fracturing) to generate natural gas has markedly increased.  In areas with hydraulic fracturing, there is a large increase in truck traffic, noise and potential air and water pollution.  Accordingly, residents may experience health consequences from such exposures.  We questioned whether proximity to active wells increases hospitalization rates in residents.  To address this question, we reviewed all hospitalizations in two counties in Pennsylvania, namely, Bradford and Susquehanna Counties, that experienced a meteoric increase in active wells.  In comparison, Wayne County, where there is a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, is demographically identical to Bradford and Susquehanna Counties and served as a control population.  Having examined the 25 most common reasons for admission to the hospital, we determined that cardiovascular hospitalizations as well as neurologic, dermatologic and cancer hospitalizations were associated with living closer to active wells.  These data represent some of the first studies to associate active well drilling with hospitalizations in the United States. (more…)
Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, NYU, Pediatrics, Toxin Research / 10.07.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Teresa M. Attina, MD, PhD, MPH and Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP Department of Pediatrics NYU Langone Medical Center Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Response: Phthalates are environmental chemicals widely used in consumer and personal care products, and often found in plastic to increase flexibility. Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) is of particular interest because industrial processes to produce food frequently use plastic products containing DEHP. Because recognition of potential health risks related to DEHP exposure has increased, DEHP is being replaced by di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), two phthalates with similar chemical properties. Specifically, DINP is used in plastic products for food packaging, and DIDP is used in furnishings, cookware, medications, and several other consumer products. These alternatives have not been substantially studied for toxicity in laboratory studies because these studies are not required for regulatory approval: unlike the EU, in the US the current regulatory framework assumes that chemicals are safe until proven toxic. Medical Research: What are the main findings? Response: We examined DINP and DIDP levels in urine samples from children and adolescents (6 to 19 years old) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2012, to assess if these levels were associated with blood pressure measurements. Diet, physical activity, gender, race/ethnicity, income, and other factors that can contribute to increased blood pressure were also included in the analysis. A significant association was found between high blood pressure and DINP/DIDP levels in study participants. This is not a cause-and-effect relationship but it suggests that phthalates may contribute to increased blood pressure. (more…)
Author Interviews, CDC, Toxin Research / 23.06.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ayana R. Anderson, MPH Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Large mass casualty gas explosions and oil spills are widely reported in the media and receive considerable regulatory attention. However, smaller less catastrophic events are less likely to receive publicity. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) analyzed 2010–2012 data from the National Toxic Substance Incidents Program (NTSIP) to describe the causes and public health impacts of petroleum product release incidents and to better focus and prioritize prevention efforts. There were a total of 1,369 petroleum product releases reported from 7 states resulting in 512 injured persons and 36 deaths.          Approximately one fourth of the incidents were associated with utilities.          Approximately one fifth were associated with private vehicles or residences.          Approximately 10 percent of petroleum product releases resulted from inadvertent damage to utility lines. (more…)
Author Interviews, Heart Disease, JACC, Toxin Research / 31.05.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Renjie Chen PhD and Dr. Haidong Kan, PhD School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Although several previous studies in developed countries with cleaner air have reported health benefits due to air filtration, no such interventional studies were conducted in a developing country with much severer air pollution problems. Our main findings suggested that even a short-term intervention (2 days) could significantly reduce indoor air pollution and improve cardiopulmonary health among healthy young adults. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, JAMA, Toxin Research / 26.05.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Catterina Ferreccio, MD, MPH School of Medicine Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago, Chile Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Ferreccio: In Chile, gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the 2nd highest cause of cancer death in women.  Other than gallstones no other causal factors have been identified. We conducted a pilot case-control study of gallbladder cancer to evaluate its association with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure. Aflatoxins are toxics products of the fungis Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and are contaminants of food; AFB1 is carcinogenic. Usually they are found in areas closer to the Equator than Chile. Main findings were the high proportion (35%) of study subjects carrying aflatoxins adducts and the particularly high exposure among the Gallbladder cancer (GBC) cases (64%) compared with gallstones controls (18%) or with population controls (23%). Difference of gallbladder cancer vs controls were statistically significant and suggests aflatoxins may be a significant risk factor for gallbladder cancer; hypothesis never tested before. (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Mental Health Research, Stroke, Toxin Research / 22.04.2015

Elissa Hope Wilker, Sc.D. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Harvard Medical SchoolMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Elissa Hope Wilker, Sc.D. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Harvard Medical School Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Wilke: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment, but the impact on structural changes in the brain is not well understood. We studied older adults living in the greater Boston area and throughout New England and New York and we looked at the air pollution levels and how far they lived from major roads. We then linked this information to findings from MRI studies of structural brain images. Although air pollution levels in this area are fairly low compared to levels observed in other parts of the world, we found that people who lived in areas with higher levels of air pollution had smaller brain volumes, and higher risk of silent strokes. The magnitude of association that we observed for a 2 µg/m3 increase in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (a range commonly observed across urban areas) was approximately equivalent to one year of brain aging. The association with silent strokes is of concern, because these are associated with increased risk of overt strokes, walking problems, and depression. (more…)
Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Occupational Health, Toxin Research / 31.03.2015

Jorge E. Chavarro, M.D., Sc.D. Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Assistant Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02113MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jorge E. Chavarro, M.D., Sc.D. Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Assistant Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School Boston, MA 02113 Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Chavarro: Previous studies have shown that occupational exposure to pesticides is harmful to sperm production. However, whether the same is true for pesticide residues in our food, the most important source of exposure to pesticides for most people, is unclear. Medical Research: What are the main findings? Dr. Chavarro: Bottom line, men who consumed the greatest amounts of fruits and vegetables with large amounts of pesticide residues had significantly lower sperm counts and fewer morphologically normal sperm. (more…)
Author Interviews, JAMA, OBGYNE, Toxin Research / 26.03.2015

Dr. Bradley S. Peterson, M.D Director of the Institute for the Developing Mind The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Los AngelesMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Bradley S. Peterson, M.D Director of the Institute for the Developing Mind The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Peterson: Neurotoxic PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are ubiquitous in the environment, in the home and in the workplace. Emissions from motor vehicles, oil and coal burning for home heating or power generation, wildfires and agricultural burning, hazardous waste sites, tobacco smoke and charred foods are all sources of exposure. PAH readily crosses the placenta and affects an unborn child’s brain; earlier animal studies showed that prenatal exposure impaired the development of behavior, learning and memory. Our group previously reported that exposure to airborne PAH during gestation was associated with multiple neurodevelopmental disturbances, including development delay by age 3, reduced verbal IQ at age 5, and symptoms of anxiety and depression at age 7. Medical Research: What are the main findings? Dr. Peterson: Together with Virginia Rauh, ScD and Frederica Perera, DrPH, PhD of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, we conducted a brain imaging study to test the effects on brain structure of PAH exposure during the final trimester of pregnancy.  We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the brains of 40 children from a cohort of more than 600 mother-baby pairs from minority communities in New York City. These 40 children were carefully selected to have no other exposures that would affect brain development. Our findings showed that prenatal PAH exposure led to reductions in nearly the entire white matter surface of the brain’s left hemisphere – losses that were associated with slower processing of information during intelligence testing and more severe behavioral problems, including ADHD and aggression.  Postnatal PAH exposure – measured at age 5 – was found to contribute to additional disturbances in development of white matter in the dorsal prefrontal region of the brain, a portion of the brain that supports concentration, reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving ability. (more…)
Author Interviews, BMJ, Stroke, Toxin Research / 26.03.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr Anoop Shah Cardiology Research fellow Centre of Cardiovascular sciences University Of Edinburgh Edinburgh Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Stroke accounts for five million deaths each year and is a major cause of disability. The incidence of stroke is increasing, particularly in low and middle income countries, where two thirds of all strokes occur. The global burden of stroke related disability is therefore high and continues to rise. This has been primarily attributed to an aging population in high income countries and the accumulation of risk factors for stroke, such as smoking, hypertension, and obesity, in low and middle income countries. The impact of environmental factors on morbidity and mortality from stroke, however, might be important and is less certain. From 103 studies and across 6.2 million fatal and non-fatal strokes, our findings suggest a strong association between short term exposure to both gaseous (except ozone) and particulate air pollution, and admissions to hospital for stroke or mortality from stroke. These associations were strongest in low and middle income countries, suggesting the need for policy changes to reduce personal exposure to air pollutants especially in highly polluted regions. (more…)
Author Interviews, Dental Research, Toxin Research / 08.03.2015

Sylvie Babajko, PhD Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers Inserm UMR_S 1138 Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Orale Moléculaire 75006 Paris cedex 06MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Sylvie Babajko, PhD Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers Inserm UMR_S 1138 Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Orale Moléculaire 75006 Paris cedex 06 MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Babajko: The environment has become increasingly contaminated by various pollutants. This has led to an increase in the incidence and gravity of known pathologies and/or the emergence of new pathologies. In 2001, a distinct enamel pathology called molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) was described. It is diagnosed by white to brown creamy lesions affecting permanent first molars and frequently permanent incisors too. These teeth are sensitive and susceptible to caries. MIH prevalence turns around 15-18 % of 6 to 9 years-old children in studied populations all over the world. To date, MIH etiology remains unclear. However, given that MIH affects those teeth that are undergoing mineralization around the time of birth, MIH is indicative of some adverse event(s) occurring during early childhood that impact on enamel development. Interestingly, susceptibility to BPA in human is the highest during the same period of time. Our experimental data (1, 2) showed that BPA may be a causal agent of MIH and that BPA irreversibly impacts amelogenesis via steroid hormone pathway. (more…)
Author Interviews, OBGYNE, Toxin Research, University of Pittsburgh / 07.03.2015

Dr. Jennifer Adibi, MPH ScD University of Pittsburgh, Public Health Assistant Professor, Epidemiology Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Affiliate, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences University of California, San FranciscoMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Jennifer Adibi, MPH ScD University of Pittsburgh, Public Health Assistant Professor, Epidemiology Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Affiliate, Dept. of ObGYN and Reproductive Sciences University of California, San Francisco Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Adibi: Prenatal exposure to phthalates in rodents can cause defects in male sexual development including a shorter distance between the anus and the genitalia (anogenital distance or AGD).  Human studies have shown a correlation between higher prenatal phthalate urinary concentrations in the mother and shorter AGD in males.  AGD in males is related to fertility and reproductive health over the lifetime.  In females, AGD was associated with numbers of ovarian follicles.  The role of the placenta has not been considered in these studies. A  placental hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is essential for normal male development. Our previous research has shown that hCG expression by human placental cells is disrupted by phthalate concentrations equal to what we measured in maternal urine.  The placenta secretes molecules early in pregnancy that might provide an opportunity to detect these effects in humans. Medical Research: What are the main findings? Dr. Adibi:  In 350 pregnancies, we measured a significant association of maternal urinary concentrations of mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) and monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) with hCG in maternal blood in the first trimester.  Higher phthalate concentrations were associated with higher hCG if the mother was carrying a female fetus, and lower concentrations if she was carrying a male fetus.  In a high/low MnBP comparison, hCG was 15-fold higher in the higher exposed female fetuses.  We also observed a relationship between maternal levels of hCG in the first trimester and anogenital distance in the newborns.  The correlation was positive in female newborns, and inverse in male newborns. Similar to the parent study, we observed associations of higher first trimester MnBP and mono-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (MEHP) with lower male anogenital distance.  If we combined these findings into a mediation analysis, we estimated that approximately 20-30% of the phthalate-induced effect on anogenital distance was due to the phthalate disruption of hCG. (more…)
Author Interviews, Pediatrics, Toxin Research / 24.02.2015

Professor Kathy Cottingham PhD Departmental of Biological Sciences Dartmouth University Hanover, NHMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Professor Kathy Cottingham PhD Departmental of Biological Sciences Dartmouth University Hanover, NH Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Professor Cottingham: Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that occurs in high concentrations in groundwater in certain parts of the world, including here in New Hampshire.  Exposure to high concentrations of arsenic in water has a number of potential health consequences, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, adverse birth outcomes, and altered immune systems.  Effects of lower-dose exposures are still under investigation, but emerging evidence suggests similar effects as higher doses. In the U.S., public drinking water sources are regulated to have arsenic below a maximum contaminant level of 10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water.  However, private wells are not regulated, and there is no requirement to test water in private wells to ensure that the water is safe to drink. The New Hampshire Birth Cohort, led by Dr. Margaret Karagas, is an ongoing longitudinal study of pregnant women who drink water from private wells.  This study quantified arsenic exposure in 72 infants born to women in the cohort, using urine samples and exposure modeling. Our results show that in general, exposure to arsenic during early infancy is quite low, regardless of how the infants were fed (breast milk vs. formula). However, a few formula-fed infants were highly exposed to arsenic, likely due to high concentrations of arsenic in the drinking water used to mix their powdered formula. Arsenic concentrations in breast milk - and in the urine of infants fed only with breast milk - were very low. (more…)
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Toxin Research / 20.02.2015

Katherine A James, PhD, MSPH, MSCE Colorado School of Public Health University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, ColoradoMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katherine A James, PhD, MSPH, MSCE Colorado School of Public Health University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, Colorado Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. James: Exposure to inorganic arsenic in drinking water has been associated with several chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in areas with high levels of exposure.  Our study is one of the first to show association with cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus in a low-moderately exposed population. Our results show that for every 15 micrograms per liter of inorganic arsenic in drinking water the risk for CHD disease increased 38% and for diabetes it increases 27%. (more…)
Author Interviews, Toxin Research / 18.02.2015

Dr. Prashant Kumar PhD (Cantab), MTech, BEng, FHEA, FCPS, FCCT, CEng(IEI), MIEnvSc, MIAQM, MIAAPC Senior Lecturer in Wind Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (C5) Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences University of Surrey, GuildfordMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Prashant Kumar PhD (Cantab), MTech, BEng, FHEA, FCPS, FCCT, CEng(IEI), MIEnvSc, MIAQM, MIAAPC Senior Lecturer in Wind Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (C5) Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences University of Surrey, Guildford Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Kumar: Pollution is disproportionately spread in urban areas due to scattered mobile and stationary sources. Exhaust emissions from vehicles are one of the major sources of air pollution in urban areas. When vehicles stop at red lights, they go through different driving cycles such as idling, acceleration and deceleration. At the same time, a number of other vehicles are also queuing at red lights, emitting further emissions – these emissions take more time to disperse, especially in built-up areas, and end up accumulating in the air at traffic lights. In our study, we found that because drivers were decelerating and stopping at lights, then revving up to move quickly when lights go green, peak particle concentration was 29 times higher than that during free flowing traffic conditions. We also found that while drivers spent just two per cent of their journey time passing through traffic intersections managed by lights, that short duration contributes to about 25 per cent of their total exposure to these harmful particles. (more…)
ADHD, Author Interviews, FASEB, Occupational Health, Toxin Research / 06.02.2015

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jason R. Richardson MS,PhD DABT Associate Professor Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Resident Member Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute Piscataway, NJ MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Richardson:  Although ADHD is often though of as a genetic disorder, no single gene can explain more than a fraction of the cases. This suggests that environmental factors are likely to interact with genetic susceptibility to increase risk for ADHD. Our study reports that exposure of pregnant mice to relatively low levels of a commonly used pesticide reproduces the behavioral effects of ADHD in their offspring. Because the study was in animals, we wanted to see if there was any association in humans. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention we found that children and adolescents with elevated levels of metabolites of these pesticides in their urine, which indicates exposure, were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. (more…)
Author Interviews, Endocrinology, Toxin Research / 05.02.2015

Dr. Andrea Gore PhD Gustavus & Louise Pfeiffer Professor University of Texas Austin/Div of Pharmacology/ToxicoMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Andrea Gore PhD Gustavus & Louise Pfeiffer Professor University of Texas Austin/Div of Pharmacology/Toxicology MedicalResearch.com Editor’s Note: Dr. Gore, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal Endocrinology, has graciously answered several questions regarding the recent concerns of environmental chemicals linked to both early puberty and early menopause. Medical Research: How can chemicals found inside the home impact onset of menopause? Dr. Gore: It is important to clarify that the cause-and-effect relationship between chemicals and menopause is not established. The timing of menopause in women is due to a variety of factors including genetic traits, nutritional status, and general health or chronic disease. Some research on humans, including the recent study by Grindler et al., also suggests that environmental chemicals may contribute to the timing of earlier menopause. Animal models also suggest an advance in the timing of reproductive failure following earlier life exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). [See references below]. The question of exactly how chemicals may change the timing of menopause is therefore unresolved, but based on animal studies it is likely that the mechanisms include effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the expression of genes and proteins involved in ovarian function that may lead to premature loss of follicles (eggs). Because the control of reproduction involves the brain and the pituitary gland, as well as the ovary, it is possible that endocrine-disrupting chemicals also impair how these organs regulate reproductive hormones.
  1. Gore AC, Walker DM, Zama AM, Armenti AE, Uzumcu M. Early life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals causes lifelong molecular reprogramming of the hypothalamus and premature reproductive aging. Mol Endocrinol. 2011;25:2157–2168.
  2. Shi Z, Valdez KE, Ting AY, Franczak A,GumSL, Petroff BK. Ovarian endocrine disruption underlies premature reproductive senescence following environmentally relevant chronic exposure to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. Biol Reprod. 2007;76:198–202.
  3. Akkina J, Reif J, Keefe T, Bachand A. Age at natural menopause and exposure to organochlorine pesticides in Hispanic women. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2004;67:1407–1422.
  4. Cooper GS, Savitz DA, Millikan R, Chiu Kit T. Organochlorine exposure and age at natural menopause. Epidemiology. 2002;13: 729–733.
  5. Hatch EE, Troisi R, Wise LA, et al. Age at natural menopause in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;164:682–688.
  6. KnoxSS, Jackson T, Javins B, Frisbee SJ, Shankar A, DucatmanAM. Implications of early menopause in women exposed to perfluorocarbons. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96:1747–1753.
  7. Farr SL, Cai J, Savitz DA, Sandler DP, Hoppin JA, Cooper GS. Pesticide exposure and timing of menopause: the Agricultural Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2006;163:731–742.
Medical Research: What are the primary sources of exposure to these chemicals? Dr. Gore: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals exposures come from a variety of sources, including plastic containers (e.g. water bottles) and other products, certain foods, personal care products, pesticides, and many others. (more…)
Author Interviews, Endocrinology, Toxin Research, University of Michigan / 21.01.2015

Vasantha Padmanabhan, MS, PhD Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and Environmental Health Sciences University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mi 48109MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Vasantha Padmanabhan, MS, PhD Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and Environmental Health Sciences University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mi 48109 Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Controversy exists regarding the human health effects of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting industrial chemical, present in plastic products, baby bottles, food can liners, and wide array of paper products including cash receipts. BPA has been linked to adverse metabolic effects, including obesity, diabetes and cardiac disease.  This study examined if exposure to bisphenol A during pregnancy, at levels humans are exposed to, induces oxidative stress, a major contributor to the development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Findings from this multi species study show an association between higher maternal- and cord-blood BPA levels and 3-nitrotyrosine Y (NY), a marker of oxidative stress, in 24 pregnant women. Similar effect on oxidative stress was also found when human-comparable BPA doses were given to pregnant sheep and rats. Similarity of findings between BPA exposure and oxidative stress in the human association study and animals testing study raises concern about potential risk of BPA later in life. (more…)
Author Interviews, Toxin Research / 06.01.2015

Rick Vetter (retired) Department of Entomology Univ. Calif. Riverside Riverside, CA 92521MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Rick Vetter   (retired) Department of Entomology Univ. Calif. Riverside Riverside, CA  92521 Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Regarding the spider toxinology field, many misconceptions have been voiced over the years with statements being made in the medical literature which are tenable sounding explanations offered by well-meaning physicians, however, when given further scrutiny, are not supported by the data.  An example of this is the platitude from years ago (and sometimes still today) that brown recluse spider bites are feasible diagnoses anywhere in North America because the spiders CAN get transported around.  However, these authors never actually show that brown recluse spiders ARE frequently transported around in sufficient numbers such that they are tenable culprits in necrotic skin lesions. The evidence developed in the last decade regarding this situation shows that brown recluses DO NOT get transported often, DO NOT establish extra-indigenous populations often and they are not likely etiologies for necrotic skin lesions outside of their indigenous range.  Similarly, a commonly heard statement over the decades is that spiders are likely vectors of bacterial skin lesions.  Several studies have swabbed the fangs and mouthparts of spiders, found bacteria and proudly proclaim the association between spider bites and bacterial infections.  However, these same authors never actually prove that verified spider bites result in bacterial transfer to humans. This current study was instigated in part due to statements made in the 1990s by the late Dr. Philip Anderson, Missouri dermatologist and brown recluse spider bite expert, that recluse spider bites are never infected even in non-medicated patients.  So if spiders actually can vector bacteria, then a data-mining of the vast literature on spider bites worldwide should show significant bacteria association in the form of infected skin lesions as signs of envenomation.  In contrast, there is almost a complete absence of reports of infection when one examines the thousands of spider bites that include a vast array of medically important spiders including the widows, recluses, armed or wandering spiders of South America, Sydney funnel web spiders, wolf spiders, yellow sac spiders, as well as studies involving a random conglomeration of species.  A mechanism to explain this lack of bacterial vectoring may lie in the fact that the venom of spiders (as well as other venomous animals) has antibacterial and antimicrobial capabilities which may function evolutionarily to prevent bacterial transfer from prey to spider in bites. (more…)
Author Interviews, Autism, Toxin Research / 23.12.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Raanan Raz, PhD Visiting Scientist Harvard School of Public Health Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Raz: Air pollution contains various toxicants that have been found to be associated with neurotoxicity and adverse effects on the fetus in utero. Several studies have explored associations of air pollution with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These studies suggest increased chances of having a child with autism spectrum disorders with higher exposures to diesel particulate matter (PM), criteria pollutants and some organic materials as well as closer proximity to a freeway. (more…)
Author Interviews, Pediatrics, Toxin Research, University Texas / 21.12.2014

Ying Xu Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering University of Texas, AustinMedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ying Xu Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering University of Texas, Austin Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Phthalates have been widely used as plasticizers to enhance the flexibility of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products.  They are ubiquitous and persistent indoor pollutants and may result in profound and irreversible changes in the development of human reproductive tract. In this study, we found that the emissions of phthalates and phthalate alternatives increase significantly with increasing temperature.  We developed an emission model and validated the model via chamber experiments.  Further analysis showed that, in infant sleep microenvironments, an increase in the temperature of mattress can cause a significant increase in emission of phthalates from the mattress cover and make the concentration in breathing zone about four times higher than that in the room, resulting in potentially high exposure.  In residential homes, an increase in the temperature from 25 to 35 ºC can elevate the gas-phase concentration of phthalates by more than a factor of 10, but the total airborne concentration may not increase that much for less volatile compounds. (more…)
Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, Toxin Research / 10.12.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Yun-Chul Hong MD, PhD Chair, Department of Preventive Medicine Director, Institute of Environmental Medicine College of Medicine Seoul National University MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Yun-Chul Hong: Because there are some reports showing Bisphenol-A exposure increase when we eat or drink canned food or beverage and at the same time it has been known that Bisphenol-A exposure is associated with blood pressure increase, we conducted this study to examine whether consuming canned beverage and consequent increase of Bisphenol-A exposure actually increase blood pressure. We found that drinking 2 canned beverages increase in 5 mmHg of systolic blood pressure. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, JAMA, Surgical Research, Toxin Research / 24.11.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Naveed Nosrati MD Indiana University School of Medicine Staff Surgeon, Roudebush VAMC Medical Research: What is the background for this study? Dr. Nosrati: We originally began this study as a broader project investigating the effect of trauma induced by biopsies on the spontaneous clearance of a non-melanoma skin cancer. As part of that, we created a large database with many patient variables. Since we undertook this project at our local VA hospital, one of the variables available to us was Agent Orange exposure. Shortly after completing the study, Clemens et al published their study linking Agent Orange exposure to higher rates of invasive non-melanoma skin cancer. Their study was a pilot study of only 100 patients. As we had well over 1,000 patients, we decided to pursue a side project of how Agent Orange specifically affects our results. Our study was operating under the hypothesis that trauma induced by biopsies led to an inflammatory response that often led to the immunologic clearance of the remaining skin cancer. We actually coined the term “SCORCH” lesion, or spontaneous clearance of residual carcinoma histologically, for this phenomenon. With that mind, we would expect patients exposed to Agent Orange to theoretically have a more invasive form of malignancy and thus have lower rates of spontaneous clearance. (more…)
Author Interviews, Pediatrics, Toxin Research / 11.11.2014

Marcel J Casavant MD FACEP FACMT Chief of Toxicology, Nationwide Children's Hospita Medical Director, Central Ohio Poison Center Clinical Professor, The Ohio State University Colleges of Medicine & Pharmacy Columbus OH USA 43205-2696MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Marcel J Casavant MD FACEP FACMT Chief of Toxicology, Nationwide Children's Hospita Medical Director, Central Ohio Poison Center Clinical Professor, The Ohio State University Colleges of Medicine & Pharmacy Columbus OH USA 43205-2696 Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?  Dr. Casavant: Laundry detergent pods reached the US market shelves in early 2012; almost immediately parents started calling poison control centers about their children’s exposures to these products. Since then the CDC, the CPSC, the American Association of Poison Centers, and others have issued warnings about these products. Several papers and numerous abstracts have described injuries to various groups of children; we therefore chose to analyze and describe what happened to all US children with exposure to one of these products reported to a poison control center in 2012 and 2013. The main finding: these products are dangerous to children! Over those two years we found more than 17,000 young children exposed to pods, more than 6,000 seen in an emergency department, more than 700 admitted to a hospital, and among these, more than half required intensive care. Two young children died, both in 2013. Our study was published online on November 10, 2014 (http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Laundry-Detergent-Pods-Can-Be-a-Serious-Poisoning-Risk-in-Children.aspx) and will appear in the December 2014 print edition of Pediatrics (volume 134 number 6). (more…)