Sex ratio of the offspring of New Zealand phenoxy herbicide producers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

Objectives

Exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has inconsistently been associated with a decreased sex ratio of the offspring (number of male births divided by total births). We conducted a study among men and women who were employed in a New Zealand phenoxy herbicide production plant between 1969 and 1984, to study their offspring sex ratio in relation to their back-calculated TCDD serum concentrations determined in 2007/2008.

Methods

A total of 127 men and 21 women reported that 355 children were conceived after starting employment at the plant. The association between their lipid-standardised TCDD serum concentrations back-calculated to the time of their offspring's birth and the probability of a male birth was estimated through logistic regression, adjusting for the age of the exposed parent at birth, current body mass index and smoking.

Results

The overall sex ratio was 0.55 (197 boys, 158 girls). For fathers with serum TCDD concentrations ≥20 pg/g lipid at time of birth, the sex ratio was 0.47 (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.79). The probability of a male birth decreased with higher paternal serum TCDD at time of birth (<4; 4–20; 20–100; ≥100 pg/g lipid), with ORs of 1.00 (reference); 1.00 (95% CI 0.50 to 2.02); 0.52 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.92); 0.45 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.89), p trend 0.007. For exposed mothers, the sex ratio was not reduced.

Conclusions

This study indicates that paternal serum TCDD concentrations in excess of an estimated 20 pg/g lipid at time of conception are associated with a reduced sex ratio.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 872: Distribution of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Its Relationship with Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Middle-Aged Chinese Population

Background: An increased concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) indicates risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Because the available data is limited, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2009–2010 to describe hs-CRP distribution and its relationship with established CVD risk factors. Methods: A population-based sample of adults aged 35 to 64 years (n = 14,046) was taken from 12 research populations across China. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, and hs-CRP measured. Pearson’s and Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analyses were used to test the relationship between hs-CRP and other CVD risk factors. Results: For 8389 (4412 females) eligible participants, hs-CRP was 1.89 ± 4.37 mg/L (median (25th, 75th): 0.80 (0.40, 1.80)), and increased with age, BP, glucose, and BMI (p < 0.05), males had significantly higher hs-CRP than females (2.07 (4.89) vs. 1.73 (3.83), p < 0.001). About 24.3% had the hs-CRP concentrations more than the top quartile (25.8% in males, 22.9% in females), 12.3% (13.3% in males, 11.5% in females) >3 mg/L. There was a significant positive correlation of quartiles of hs-CRP concentrations with age, SBP, DBP, glucose level, BMI, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, and LDL-C/total cholesterol ratio (p < 0.001). The elevated hs-CRP (>1.80 mg/L) related positively with age, LDL-C, BP, glucose, BMI, and living north and negatively with HDL-C/TC, LDL-C/TC, TC independently (p < 0.05). For subjects with coexisting hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity, about 63.0% were in the top quartile of hs-CRP concentrations. Conclusions: Hs-CRP was associated with most of the known CVD risk factors. Measurement of hs-CRP may provide a more comprehensive view of the patient’s overall risk profile in the Chinese population.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 854: Gambling in the Landscape of Adversity in Youth: Reflections from Men Who Live with Poverty and Homelessness

Most of the research on gambling behaviour among youth has been quantitative and focused on measuring prevalence. As a result, little is known about the contextual experiences of youth gambling, particularly among those most vulnerable. In this paper, we explore the previous experiences of youth gambling in a sample of adult men experiencing housing instability and problem gambling. We present findings from a qualitative study on problem gambling and housing instability conducted in Toronto, Canada. Thirty men with histories of problem or pathological gambling and housing instability or homelessness were interviewed. Two thirds of these men reported that they began gambling in youth. Five representative cases were selected and the main themes discussed. We found that gambling began in early life while the men, as youth, were also experiencing adversity (e.g., physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse, neglect, housing instability, homelessness, substance addiction and poverty). Men reported they had access to gambling activity through their family and wider networks of school, community and the streets. Gambling provided a way to gain acceptance, escape from emotional pain, and/or earn money. For these men problematic gambling behaviour that began in youth, continued into adulthood.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 864: National and State-Specific Attitudes toward Smoke-Free Parks among U.S. Adults

Outdoor places, such as parks, remain a source of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. We assessed attitudes toward smoke-free parks among U.S. adults. Data came from the 2009–2010 National Adult Tobacco Survey, a landline and cellular telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged ≥18 in the 50 U.S. states and D.C. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to assess the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of attitudes toward smoke-free parks, overall and by current tobacco use. Overall, 38.5% of adults reported favorable attitudes toward complete smoke-free parks; prevalence ranged from 29.2% in Kentucky to 48.2% in Maine. Prevalence of favorable attitudes toward smoke-free parks was higher among nonusers of tobacco (44.6%) and noncombustible-only users (30.0%) than any combustible users (21.3%). The adjusted odds of having a favorable attitude were higher among: women; Hispanics and Black non-Hispanics, American Indian and Alaska Native non-Hispanics, and other non-Hispanics; those with an unspecified sexual orientation; and those with children aged ≤17 in the household, relative to each characteristics respective referent group. Odds were lower among: any combustible tobacco and noncombustible-only tobacco users; adults aged 45–64; and those with some college or an undergraduate degree. Opportunities exist to educate the public about the benefits of smoke-free outdoor environments.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 869: Phytoestrogens and Mycoestrogens Induce Signature Structure Dynamics Changes on Estrogen Receptor α

Endocrine disrupters include a broad spectrum of chemicals such as industrial chemicals, natural estrogens and androgens, synthetic estrogens and androgens. Phytoestrogens are widely present in diet and food supplements; mycoestrogens are frequently found in grains. As human beings and animals are commonly exposed to phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens in diet and environment, it is important to understand the potential beneficial or hazardous effects of estrogenic compounds. Many bioassays have been established to study the binding of estrogenic compounds with estrogen receptor (ER) and provided rich data in the literature. However, limited assays can offer structure information with regard to the ligand/ER complex. Our current study surveys the global structure dynamics changes for ERα ligand binding domain (LBD) when phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens bind. The assay is based on the structure dynamics information probed by hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry and offers a unique viewpoint to elucidate the mechanism how phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens interact with estrogen receptor. The cluster analysis based on the hydrogen deuterium exchange (HDX) assay data reveals a unique pattern when phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens bind with ERα LBD compared to that of estradiol and synthetic estrogen modulators. Our study highlights that structure dynamics could play an important role in the structure function relationship when endocrine disrupters interact with estrogen receptors.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 867: Meteorological Factors for Dengue Fever Control and Prevention in South China

Dengue fever (DF) is endemic in Guangzhou and has been circulating for decades, causing significant economic loss. DF prevention mainly relies on mosquito control and change in lifestyle. However, alert fatigue may partially limit the success of these countermeasures. This study investigated the delayed effect of meteorological factors, as well as the relationships between five climatic variables and the risk for DF by boosted regression trees (BRT) over the period of 2005–2011, to determine the best timing and strategy for adapting such preventive measures. The most important meteorological factor was daily average temperature. We used BRT to investigate the lagged relationship between dengue clinical burden and climatic variables, with the 58 and 62 day lag models attaining the largest area under the curve. The climatic factors presented similar patterns between these two lag models, which can be used as references for DF prevention in the early stage. Our results facilitate the development of the Mosquito Breeding Risk Index for early warning systems. The availability of meteorological data and modeling methods enables the extension of the application to other vector-borne diseases endemic in tropical and subtropical countries.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 866: The Effects of the Passage of Time from the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake on the Public’s Anxiety about a Variety of Hazards

This research investigated whether the Japanese people’s anxiety about a variety of hazards, including earthquakes and nuclear accidents, has changed over time since the Tohoku Earthquake in 2011. Data from three nationwide surveys conducted in 2008, 2012, and 2015 were compared to see the change in societal levels of anxiety toward 51 types of hazards. The same two-phase stratified random sampling method was used to create the list of participants in each survey. The results showed that anxiety about earthquakes and nuclear accidents had increased for a time after the Tohoku Earthquake, and then decreased after a four-year time frame with no severe earthquakes and nuclear accidents. It was also revealed that the anxiety level for some hazards other than earthquakes and nuclear accidents had decreased at ten months after the Earthquake, and then remained unchanged after the four years. Therefore, ironically, a major disaster might decrease the public anxiety in general at least for several years.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 862: Occurrence of the Toxin-Producing Aspergillus versicolor Tiraboschi in Residential Buildings

In an area representative of a moderate climate zone (Lubuskie Province in Poland), mycological tests in over 270 flats demonstrated the occurrence of 82 species of moulds. Aspergillus versicolor Tiraboschi was often encountered on building partitions (frequency 4: frequently). The ability to synthesize the carcinogenic sterigmatocystin (ST) means that it poses a risk to humans and animals. Biotoxicological tests of biomasses of A. versicolor were conducted in the Microbiological and Toxicological Laboratory, using the planarians Dugesia tigrina (Girard). The obtained results of the tests covered a broad range of toxicity levels of isolated strains: from weakly toxic (100–1000 mg·L−3) to potently toxic (1–10 mg·L−3). The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) physicochemical method confirmed the ability of A. versicolor strains to synthesize sterigmatocystin. All of the samples of the air-dry biomasses of the fungi contained ST in the range between 0.03 and 534.38 mg·kg−1. In the bio-safety level (BSL) classification A. versicolor belongs to category 1. Additionally, A. versicolor is an allergenic mould.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 855: The Relationship between Phytoplankton Evenness and Copepod Abundance in Lake Nansihu, China

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a central issue in ecology. Previous studies have shown that producer diversity can impact the consumer community via predator-prey interactions. However, direct observations of this relationship remain rare, in particular for aquatic ecosystems. In this research, the relationship between phytoplankton diversity (species richness and evenness) and the abundance of copepods was analyzed in Lake Nansihu, a meso-eutrophic lake in China. The results showed that copepods abundance was significantly decreased with increasing phytoplankton evenness throughout the year. However, both species richness and phytoplankton biomass showed no significant relationship with the abundance of copepods. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that phytoplankton evenness was negatively correlated with Thermocyclops kawamurai, Cyclops vicinus, Eucyclops serrulatus, Mesocyclops leuckarti, Sinocalanus tenellus, Sinocalanus dorrii, Copepods nauplius, but positively correlated with many Cyanophyta species (Chroococcus minutus, Dactylococcopsis acicularis, Microcystis incerta, Merismopedia tenuissima, Merismopedia sinica and Lyngbya limnetica). Based on our results, phytoplankton evenness was a better predictor of copepods abundance in meso-eutrophic lakes. These results provide new insights into the relationship between diversity and ecosystem functioning in aquatic ecosystems.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 865: Geographical Patterns of HIV Sero-Discordancy in High HIV Prevalence Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: Variation in the proportion of individuals living in a stable HIV sero-discordant partnership (SDP), and the potential drivers of such variability across sub Saharan Africa (SSA), are still not well-understood. This study aimed to examine the spatial clustering of HIV sero-discordancy, and the impact of local variation in HIV prevalence on patterns of sero-discordancy in high HIV prevalence countries in SSA. Methods: We described the spatial patterns of sero-discordancy among stable couples by analyzing Demographic and Health Survey data from Cameroon, Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. We identified spatial clusters of SDPs in each country through a Kulldorff spatial scan statistics analysis. After a geographical cluster was identified, epidemiologic measures of sero-discordancy were calculated and analyzed. Results: Spatial clusters with significantly high numbers of SDPs were identified and characterized in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania, and they largely overlapped with the clusters with high HIV prevalence. There was a positive correlation between HIV prevalence and the proportion of SDPs among all stable couples across within and outside clusters. Conversely, there was a negative, but weak and not significant, correlation between HIV prevalence and the proportion of SDPs among all stable couples with at least one HIV-infected individual in the partnership. Discussion: There does not appear to be distinct spatial patterns for HIV sero-discordancy that are independent of HIV prevalence patterns. The variation of the sero-discordancy measures with HIV prevalence across clusters and outside clusters demonstrated similar patterns to those observed at the national level. The spatial variable does not appear to be a fundamental nor independent determinant of the observed patterns of sero-discordancy in high HIV prevalence countries in SSA.

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Do Learned Alarm Sounds Interfere With Working Memory?

Objective:

To assess whether identifying (or ignoring) learned alarm sounds interferes with performance on a task involving working memory.

Background:

A number of researchers have suggested that auditory alarms could interfere with working memory in complex task environments, and this could serve as a caution against their use. Changing auditory information has been shown to interfere with serial recall, even when the auditory information is to be ignored. However, previous researchers have not examined well-learned patterns, such as familiar alarms.

Method:

One group of participants learned a set of alarms (either a melody, a rhythmic pulse, or a spoken nonword phrase) and subsequently undertook a digits-forward task in three conditions (no alarms, identify the alarm, or ignore the alarm). A comparison group undertook the baseline and ignore conditions but had no prior exposure to the alarms.

Results:

All alarms interfered with serial recall when participants were asked to identify them; however, only the nonword phrase interfered with recall when ignored. Moreover, there was no difference between trained and untrained participants in terms of recall performance when ignoring the alarms, suggesting that previous training does not make alarms less ignorable.

Conclusion:

Identifying any alarm sound may interfere with immediate working memory; however, spoken alarms may interfere even when ignored.

Application:

It is worth considering the importance of alarms in environments requiring high working memory performance and in particular avoiding spoken alarms in such environments.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 863: Validation of Type 2 Diabetes Risk Variants Identified by Genome-Wide Association Studies in Northern Han Chinese

Background: More than 60 genetic susceptibility loci associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been established in populations of Asian and European ancestry. Given ethnic differences and environmental factors, validation of the effects of genetic risk variants with reported associations identified by Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWASs) is essential. The study aims at evaluating the associations of T2DM with 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 19 candidate genes derived from GWASs in a northern Han Chinese population. Method: In this case-control study, 461 T2DM-diagnosed patients and 434 controls were recruited at the Jidong oil field hospital (Hebei, China) from January 2009 to October 2013. A cumulative genetic risk score (cGRS) was calculated by summation of the number of risk alleles, and a weight GRS (wGRS) was calculated as the sum of risk alleles at each locus multiplied by their effect sizes for T2DM, using the independent variants selected. Result: The allelic frequency of the “A” allele at rs17106184 (Fas-associated factor 1, FAF1) was significantly higher in the T2DM patients than that of the healthy controls (11.7% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.001). Individuals in the highestquartile of wGRS had an over three-fold increased risk for developing T2DM compared with those in the lowest quartile (odds ratio = 3.06, 95% CI = 1.92–4.88, p < 0.001) adjusted for age, sex, BMI, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The results were similar when analyzed with the cGRS. Conclusions: We confirmed the association between rs17106184 (FAF1) and T2DM in a northern Han Chinese population. The GRS calculated based on T2DM susceptibility variants may be a useful tool for predicting the T2DM susceptibility.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 861: Analysis of the Influence of Construction Insulation Systems on Public Safety in China

With the Government of China’s proposed Energy Efficiency Regulations (GB40411-2007), the implementation of external insulation systems will be mandatory in China. The frequent external insulation system fires cause huge numbers of casualties and extensive property damage and have rapidly become a new hot issue in construction evacuation safety in China. This study attempts to reconstruct an actual fire scene and propose a quantitative risk assessment method for upward insulation system fires using thermal analysis tests and large eddy simulations (using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) software). Firstly, the pyrolysis and combustion characteristics of Extruded polystyrene board (XPS panel), such as ignition temperature, combustion heat, limiting oxygen index, thermogravimetric analysis and thermal radiation analysis were studied experimentally. Based on these experimental data, large eddy simulation was then applied to reconstruct insulation system fires. The results show that upward insulation system fires could be accurately reconstructed by using thermal analysis test and large eddy simulation. The spread of insulation material system fires in the vertical direction is faster than that in the horizontal direction. Moreover, we also find that there is a possibility of flashover in enclosures caused by insulation system fires as the smoke temperature exceeds 600 °C. The simulation methods and experimental results obtained in this paper could provide valuable references for fire evacuation, hazard assessment and fire resistant construction design studies.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 860: Relationships of Community and Individual Level Social Capital with Activities of Daily Living and Death by Gender

This study determined whether there is an association between social capital and a composite outcome of decline in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and death by gender. A prospective 3.5 year cohort study was conducted in a rural town in Japan. The study participants were 984 individuals aged 65 years and older with not impaired on ADL at 2010 baseline survey. Social participation and generalized trust were measured as social capital. The individual level responses were dichotomized and aggregated into the community level (eight areas). Multilevel logistic regression adjusting for covariates revealed that social participation at the individual level was significantly associated with higher odds of composite outcome (OR of “not participate” = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.38–2.81). Regarding generalized trust, only in men, there was an inverse association at the community level (OR of “low” = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32–0.96), and a positive association at the individual level (OR of “tend to be careful” = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.27–3.90). These results suggest that social capital were associated with a decline in ADL and death and that the association may differ by gender.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 859: Temperature Variability and Occurrence of Diarrhoea in Children under Five-Years-Old in Cape Town Metropolitan Sub-Districts

This paper describes the relationship between temperature change and diarrhoea in under five-year-old children in the Cape Town Metropolitan Area (CTMA) of South Africa. The study used climatic and aggregated surveillance diarrhoea incidence data of two peak periods of seven months each over two consecutive years. A Poisson regression model and a lagged Poisson model with autocorrelation was performed to test the relationship between climatic parameters (minimum and maximum temperature) and incidence of diarrhoea. In total, 58,617 cases of diarrhoea occurred in the CTMA, which is equivalent to 8.60 cases per 100 population under five years old for the study period. The mixed effect overdispersed Poisson model showed that a cluster adjusted effect of an increase of 5 °C in minimum and maximum temperature results in a 40% (Incidence risk ratio IRR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.31–1.48) and 32% (IRR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.22–1.41) increase in incident cases of diarrhoea, respectively, for the two periods studied. Autocorrelation of one-week lag (Autocorrelation AC 1) indicated that a 5 °C increase in minimum and maximum temperature led to 15% (IRR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.09–1.20) and 6% (IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.12) increase in diarrhoea cases, respectively. In conclusion, there was an association between an increase in minimum and maximum temperature, and the rate at which diarrhoea affected children under the age of five years old in the Cape Town Metropolitan Area. This finding may have implications for the effects of global warming and requires further investigation.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 856: Components of Height and Blood Pressure among Ellisras Rural Children: Ellisras Longitudinal Study

To date, there has been no study done investigating the relationship between the components of height and blood pressure (BP) in rural South African children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between height, sitting height (SH), leg length (LL), and SH-to-height ratio (SH/H) with BP in Ellisras rural children. All children underwent anthropometric and BP measurements using standard procedure. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between height, SH, LL, SH/H, and BP. The regression showed a positive significant (p < 0.001) association between systolic BP (SBP) with height and SH (β ranged from 0.127 to 0.134 and 95% CI ranged from 0.082 to 0.415). Diastolic BP (DBP) also showed a positive significant (p < 0.001) association with height and SH (β ranged from 0.080 to 0.088 and 95% CI ranged from 0.042 to 0.259). After having been adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, and waist circumference, DBP showed a positive significant (p < 0.05) association with height. There was a positive significant association between DBP and SBP together with the components of height amongst Ellisras rural children.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 858: Addressing Environmental Health Inequalities

Environmental health inequalities refer to health hazards disproportionately or unfairly distributed among the most vulnerable social groups, which are generally the most discriminated, poor populations and minorities affected by environmental risks. Although it has been known for a long time that health and disease are socially determined, only recently has this idea been incorporated into the conceptual and practical framework for the formulation of policies and strategies regarding health. In this Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), “Addressing Environmental Health Inequalities—Proceedings from the ISEE Conference 2015”, we incorporate nine papers that were presented at the 27th Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2015. This small collection of articles provides a brief overview of the different aspects of this topic. Addressing environmental health inequalities is important for the transformation of our reality and for changing the actual development model towards more just, democratic, and sustainable societies driven by another form of relationship between nature, economy, science, and politics.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 857: Comprehensive Comparison between Empty Nest and Non-Empty Nest Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study among Rural Populations in Northeast China

This study aimed to comprehensively compare the general characteristics, lifestyles, serum parameters, ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG) parameters, depression, quality of life, and various comorbidities between empty nest and non-empty nest elderly among rural populations in northeast China. This analysis was based on our previous study which was conducted from January 2012 to August 2013, using a multistage, stratified, random cluster sampling scheme. The final analyzed sample consisted of 3208 participants aged no less than 60 years, which was further classified into three groups: non-empty nest group, empty nest group (living as a couple), and empty nest group (living alone). More than half of the participants were empty nest elderly (60.5%). There were no significant statistical differences for serum parameters, UCG parameters, lifestyles, dietary pattern, and scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF) among the three groups. Empty nest elderly showed no more risk for comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, left atrial enlargement (LAE), and stroke. Our study indicated that empty nest elderly showed no more risk for depression, low quality of life and comorbidities such as general obesity, abdominal obesity, hyperuricemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, LAE, and stroke among rural populations in northeast China.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 853: Risk Assessment for Children Exposed to Beach Sands Impacted by Oil Spill Chemicals

Due to changes in the drilling industry, oil spills are impacting large expanses of coastlines, thereby increasing the potential for people to come in contact with oil spill chemicals. The objective of this manuscript was to evaluate the health risk to children who potentially contact beach sands impacted by oil spill chemicals from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. To identify chemicals of concern, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) monitoring data collected during and immediately after the spill were evaluated. This dataset was supplemented with measurements from beach sands and tar balls collected five years after the spill. Of interest is that metals in the sediments were observed at similar levels between the two sampling periods; some differences were observed for metals levels in tar balls. Although PAHs were not observed five years later, there is evidence of weathered-oil oxidative by-products. Comparing chemical concentration data to baseline soil risk levels, three metals (As, Ba, and V) and four PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene) were found to exceed guideline levels prompting a risk assessment. For acute or sub-chronic exposures, hazard quotients, computed by estimating average expected contact behavior, showed no adverse potential health effects. For cancer, computations using 95% upper confidence limits for contaminant concentrations showed extremely low increased risk in the 10−6 range for oral and dermal exposure from arsenic in sediments and from dermal exposure from benzo[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene in weathered oil. Overall, results suggest that health risks are extremely low, given the limitations of available data. Limitations of this study are associated with the lack of toxicological data for dispersants and oil-spill degradation products. We also recommend studies to collect quantitative information about children’s beach play habits, which are necessary to more accurately assess exposure scenarios and health risks.

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Occupational noise and ischemic heart disease: A systematic review

Angel M Dzhambov, Donka D Dimitrova

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):167-177

Noise exposure might be a risk factor for ischemic heart disease (IHD). Unlike residential exposure, however, evidence for occupational noise is limited. Given that high-quality quantitative synthesis of existing data is highly warranted for occupational safety and policy, we aimed at conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of the risks of IHD morbidity and mortality because of occupational noise exposure. We carried out a systematic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and on the Internet since April 2, 2015, in English, Spanish, Russian, and Bulgarian. A quality-scoring checklist was developed a priori to assess different sources of methodological bias. A qualitative data synthesis was performed. Conservative assumptions were applied when appropriate. A meta-analysis was not feasible because of unresolvable methodological discrepancies between the studies. On the basis of five studies, there was some evidence to suggest higher risk of IHD among workers exposed to objectively assessed noise >75–80 dB for <20 years (supported by one high, one moderate, and one low quality study, opposed by one high and one moderate quality study). Three moderate and two low quality studies out of six found self-rated exposure to be associated with higher risk of IHD, and only one moderate quality study found no effect. Out of four studies, a higher mortality risk was suggested by one moderate quality study relying on self-rated exposure and one of high-quality study using objective exposure. Sensitivity analyses showed that at higher exposures and in some vulnerable subgroups, such as women, the adverse effects were considerably stronger. Despite methodological discrepancies and limitations of the included studies, occupational noise appeared to be a risk factor for IHD morbidity. Results suggested higher risk for IHD mortality only among vulnerable subgroups. Workers exposed to high occupational noise should be considered at higher overall risk of IHD.

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Characteristics of hyperacusis in the general population

Johan Paulin, Linus Andersson, Steven Nordin

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):178-184

There is a need for better understanding of various characteristics in hyperacusis in the general population. The objectives of the present study were to investigate individuals in the general population with hyperacusis regarding demographics, lifestyle, perceived general health and hearing ability, hyperacusis-specific characteristics and behavior, and comorbidity. Using data from a large-scale population-based questionnaire study, we investigated individuals with physician-diagnosed (n = 66) and self-reported (n = 313) hyperacusis in comparison to individuals without hyperacusis (n = 2995). High age, female sex, and high education were associated with hyperacusis, and that trying to avoid sound sources, being able to affect the sound environment, and having sough medical attention were common reactions and behaviors. Posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, exhaustion, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, hearing impairment, tinnitus, and back/joint/muscle disorders were comorbid with hyperacusis. The results provide ground for future study of these characteristic features being risk factors for development of hyperacusis and/or consequences of hyperacusis.

http://ift.tt/2bH0961

Characterization of tinnitus in different age groups: A retrospective review

Jamil Al-Swiahb, Shi Nae Park

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):214-219

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize tinnitus in affected patients. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records from 470 consecutive patients who visited a tertiary care hospital for evaluation of chronic subjective tinnitus between January 2009 and June 2010 was performed. Patients were divided into three subgroups based on age. Clinical, audiological, and psychological characteristics of each subgroup were analyzed. Results: Of the 470 patients evaluated, 85 were less than 40, 217 between 40 and 60, and 168 above 60 years of age. Most patients were men and complained of unilateral, acute high-pitched tinnitus. Most patients above the age of 40 years complained of loud and annoying tinnitus and had worse stress and severity scores. Conclusions: Chronic tinnitus in older adults is subjectively louder, more annoying, and more distressing than that found in younger patients. We recommend considering age in the patient management plan.

http://ift.tt/2bpyhaF

Environmental propagation of noise in mines and nearby villages: A study through noise mapping

Veena D Manwar, Bibhuti B Mandal, Asim K Pal

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):185-193

Background: Noise mapping being an established practice in Europe is hardly practiced for noise management in India although it is mandatory in Indian mines as per guidelines of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS). As a pilot study, noise mapping was conducted in an opencast mine with three different models; one based on the baseline operating conditions in two shifts (Situation A), and two other virtual situations where either production targets were enhanced by extending working hours to three shifts (Situation B) or only by increased mechanization and not changing the duration of work (Situation C). Methods: Noise sources were categorized as point, line, area, and moving sources. Considering measured power of the sources, specific meteorological and geographical parameters, noise maps were generated using Predictor LimA software. Results: In all three situations, Lden values were 95 dB(A) and 70–80 dB(A) near drill machine and haul roads, respectively. Noise contours were wider in Situation C due to increase in frequency of dumpers. Lden values near Shovel 1 and Shovel 2 under Situation B increased by 5 dB and 3 dB, respectively due to expansion of working hours. In Situation C, noise levels were >82 dB(A) around shovels. Noise levels on both sides of conveyor belts were in the range of 80–85 dB(A) in Situations A and C whereas it was 85–90 dB(A) in Situation B. Near crusher plants, it ranged from 80 to 90 dB(A) in Situations A and C and between 85 and 95 dB(A) in Situation B. In all situations, noise levels near residential areas exceeded the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) limits, i.e., 55 dB(A). Conclusions: For all situations, predicted noise levels exceeded CPCB limits within the mine and nearby residential area. Residential areas near the crusher plants are vulnerable to increased noise propagation. It is recommended to put an acoustic barrier near the crusher plant to attenuate the noise propagation.

http://ift.tt/2bH0JRg

Road and rail traffic noise induce comparable extra-aural effects as revealed during a short-term memory test

Eugen Gallasch, Reinhard B Raggam, Michael Cik, Jasmin Rabensteiner, Andreas Lackner, Barbara Piber, Egon Marth

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):206-213

To examine extraaural effects as induced by 20 min of road (ROAD) and 20 min of rail (RAIL) traffic noise with same loudness (75 dBA), a laboratory study was carried out. The study (N = 54) consisted of 28 high and 26 low-annoyed healthy individuals as determined by a traffic annoyance test. To control attention, all individuals performed a nonauditory short-term memory test during the noise exposures. A within-subject design, with phases of ROAD, RAIL, and CALM (memory test only), alternated by phases of rest, was defined. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (sBP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), as well as three autonomic variables, preejection period (PEP), 0.15–0.4 Hz high-frequency component of HR variability (HF), and salivary stress biomarker alpha amylase (sAA) were measured. In relation to CALM, HR increased (RAIL +2.1%, ROAD +2.5%), sBP tended to increase against the end of noise exposure, PEP decreased (RAIL −0.7%, ROAD −0.8%), HF decreased (RAIL −3.4%, ROAD −2.9%), and sAA increased (RAIL +78%, ROAD +69%). No differences were found between RAIL and ROAD, indicating that both noise stressors induced comparable extraaural effects. Factor annoyance showed significant during CALM. Here a reduced sympathetic drive (higher PEP values) combined with an increased vascular tone (higher TPR values) was found at the high-annoyed subgroup.

http://ift.tt/2bpyMRY

Before–after field study of effects of wind turbine noise on polysomnographic sleep parameters

Leila Jalali, Philip Bigelow, Mohammad-Reza Nezhad-Ahmadi, Mahmood Gohari, Diane Williams, Steve McColl

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):194-205

Wind is considered one of the most advantageous alternatives to fossil energy because of its low operating cost and extensive availability. However, alleged health-related effects of exposure to wind turbine (WT) noise have attracted much public attention and various symptoms, such as sleep disturbance, have been reported by residents living close to wind developments. Prospective cohort study with synchronous measurement of noise and sleep physiologic signals was conducted to explore the possibility of sleep disturbance in people hosting new industrial WTs in Ontario, Canada, using a pre and post-exposure design. Objective and subjective sleep data were collected through polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard diagnostic test, and sleep diary. Sixteen participants were studied before and after WT installation during two consecutive nights in their own bedrooms. Both audible and infrasound noises were also concurrently measured inside the bedroom of each participant. Different noise exposure parameters were calculated (LAeq, LZeq) and analyzed in relation to whole-night sleep parameters. Results obtained from PSG show that sleep parameters were not significantly changed after exposure. However, reported sleep qualities were significantly (P = 0.008) worsened after exposure. Average noise levels during the exposure period were low to moderate and the mean of inside noise levels did not significantly change after exposure. The result of this study based on advanced sleep recording methodology together with extensive noise measurements in an ecologically valid setting cautiously suggests that there are no major changes in the sleep of participants who host new industrial WTs in their community. Further studies with a larger sample size and including comprehensive single-event analyses are warranted.

http://ift.tt/2bH0FkF

Sound exposure during outdoor music festivals

Tron V Tronstad, Femke B Gelderblom

Noise and Health 2016 18(83):220-228

Most countries have guidelines to regulate sound exposure at concerts and music festivals. These guidelines limit the allowed sound pressure levels and the concert/festival’s duration. In Norway, where there is such a guideline, it is up to the local authorities to impose the regulations. The need to prevent hearing-loss among festival participants is self-explanatory, but knowledge of the actual dose received by visitors is extremely scarce. This study looks at two Norwegian music festivals where only one was regulated by the Norwegian guideline for concert and music festivals. At each festival the sound exposure of four participants was monitored with noise dose meters. This study compared the exposures experienced at the two festivals, and tested them against the Norwegian guideline and the World Health Organization’s recommendations. Sound levels during the concerts were higher at the festival not regulated by any guideline, and levels there exceeded both the national and the Worlds Health Organization’s recommendations. The results also show that front-of-house measurements reliably predict participant exposure.

http://ift.tt/2bpxWEI

In reply to: "Should we consider renaming 'Mesoamerican Nephropathy as Nephropathy of Unknown Cause in Agricultural Labourers (NUCAL)?"

We, from the Consortium on the Epidemic of Nephropathy in Central America and Mexico (CENCAM), read with interest Drs Subramanian and Javaid's letter,1 regarding Mesoamerican Nephropathy (MeN), a name assigned to a type of chronic kidney disease (CKD) not related to classic risk factors and also referred to as CKD of unknown (CKDu) or non-traditional causes. MeN is highly prevalent in Central America and a major health problem.2

We agree with the authors that it is important to focus attention on the occupational component of this disease, and therefore on its preventable nature. Nevertheless, we consider it premature and inappropriate to rename MeN and other regional nephropathies as Nephropathy of Unknown Cause in Agricultural Labourers (NUCAL). First, this would imply that there is enough evidence to confirm that what is being described in Mesoamerica and other CKDu epidemics in developing nations (ie, Sri Lanka, India, Egypt) are...

http://ift.tt/2bMtCyZ

Re: assessment of occupational exposure to pesticides in a pooled analysis of agricultural cohorts within the AGRICOH consortium

Brouwer et al1 have developed country-specific crop-exposure matrices (CEMs) for the French Agriculture and Cancer Study (AGRICAN) and the Cancer in the Norwegian Agricultural Population (CNAP) Study to enable data pooling with another study included in the AGRICOH consortium,2 the US Agricultural Health Study (AHS), for which self-reported pesticide use information is available. External data were not available to validate the exposure assessment methods, but self-reported use in the AHS was compared with exposure estimated using CEM approaches resembling those developed for AGRICAN and CNAP. Poor agreement with self-reported use in the AHS was shown for 11 pesticide active ingredients, and the CEM approaches had very low specificity (not reported, but calculated to range between 25% and 42%). More importantly, the CEM approaches also appear to greatly overestimate exposure when applied in their own cohorts. Nevertheless, the investigators state that these exposure assessment methods will be...

http://ift.tt/2bN0ohU

Development of a job-task-exposure matrix to assess occupational exposure to disinfectants among US nurses

Objectives

Occupational exposure to disinfectants is associated with work-related asthma, especially in healthcare workers. However, little is known about the specific products involved. To evaluate disinfectant exposures, we designed job-exposure (JEM) and job-task-exposure (JTEM) matrices, which are thought to be less prone to differential misclassification bias than self-reported exposure. We then compared the three assessment methods: self-reported exposure, JEM and JTEM.

Methods

Disinfectant use was assessed by an occupational questionnaire in 9073 US female registered nurses without asthma, aged 49–68 years, drawn from the Nurses' Health Study II. A JEM was created based on self-reported frequency of use (1–3, 4–7 days/week) of 7 disinfectants and sprays in 8 nursing jobs. We then created a JTEM combining jobs and disinfection tasks to further reduce misclassification. Exposure was evaluated in 3 classes (low, medium, high) using product-specific cut-offs (eg, <30%, 30–49.9%, ≥50%, respectively, for alcohol); the cut-offs were defined from the distribution of self-reported exposure per job/task.

Results

The most frequently reported disinfectants were alcohol (weekly use: 39%), bleach (22%) and sprays (20%). More nurses were classified as highly exposed by JTEM (alcohol 41%, sprays 41%, bleach 34%) than by JEM (21%, 30%, 26%, respectively). Agreement between JEM and JTEM was fair-to-moderate ( 0.3–0.5) for most disinfectants. JEM and JTEM exposure estimates were heterogeneous in most nursing jobs, except in emergency room and education/administration.

Conclusions

The JTEM may provide more accurate estimates than the JEM, especially for nursing jobs with heterogeneous tasks. Use of the JTEM is likely to reduce exposure misclassification.

http://ift.tt/2bVLfJC

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 851: Tempo-Spatial Variations of Ambient Ozone-Mortality Associations in the USA: Results from the NMMAPS Data

Although the health effects of ambient ozone have been widely assessed, their tempo-spatial variations remain unclear. We selected 20 communities (ten each from southern and northern USA) based on the US National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study (NMMAPS) dataset. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to estimate the season-specific association between each 10 ppb (lag0-2 day average) increment in daily 8 h maximum ozone concentration and mortality in every community. The results showed that in the southern communities, a 10 ppb increment in ozone was linked to an increment of mortality of −0.07%, −0.17%, 0.40% and 0.27% in spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. For the northern communities, the excess risks (ERs) were 0.74%, 1.21%, 0.52% and −0.65% in the spring, summer, autumn and winter seasons, respectively. City-specific ozone-related mortality effects were positively related with latitude, but negatively related with seasonal average temperature in the spring, summer and autumn seasons. However, a reverse relationship was found in the winter. We concluded that there were different seasonal patterns of ozone effects on mortality between southern and northern US communities. Latitude and seasonal average temperature were identified as modifiers of the ambient ozone-related mortality risks.

http://ift.tt/2bl5lfc

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 852: The Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory: Measurement Invariance and Psychometric Properties among Portuguese Youths

The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI) among a mixed-gender sample of 782 Portuguese youth (M = 15.87 years; SD = 1.72), in a school context. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed the expected three-factor first-order structure. Cross-gender measurement invariance and cross-sample measurement invariance using a forensic sample of institutionalized males were also confirmed. The Portuguese version of the YPI demonstrated generally adequate psychometric properties of internal consistency, mean inter-item correlation, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity of statistically significant associations with conduct disorder symptoms, alcohol abuse, drug use, and unprotected sex. In terms of known-groups validity, males scored higher than females, and males from the school sample scored lower than institutionalized males. The use of the YPI among the Portuguese male and female youth population is psychometrically justified, and it can be a useful measure to identify adolescents with high levels of psychopathic traits.

http://ift.tt/2boKBDj

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 850: 25 Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency and Its Relationship to Autoimmune Thyroid Disease in the Elderly

Background: Low 25(OH) vitamin D levels have been associated with several autoimmune diseases and recently with autoimmune thyroiditis (AT). The aim of the study was to investigate the association of AT with low 25(OH) vitamin D levels in the elderly. Methods: One hundred sixty-eight elderly subjects (mean age: 81.6 ± 9.4 years) were enrolled. Serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab), anti-thyroglobulin (TG-Ab) antibodies, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured. Results: The prevalence of AT was significantly higher in subjects with vitamin D deficiency (25(OH) vitamin D < 20 ng/mL) when compared with subjects with normal 25(OH) vitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D ≥ 20 ng/mL) levels (28% vs. 8%, respectively, p = 0.002). Patients with AT and vitamin D deficiency had a comparable hormonal profile compared to patients with AT and vitamin D sufficiency in terms of TSH (p = 0.39), FT3 (p = 0.30), FT4 (p = 0.31), TG-Ab (0.44) and TPO-Ab (0.35). Interestingly, a significant correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and TPO-Ab (r = −0.27, p = 0.03) and FT3 (r = 0.35, p = 0.006) has been found in subjects with AT while no correlation was found between 25(OH) vitamin D levels and TG-Ab (r = −0.15, p = 0.25), TSH (r = −0.014, p = 0.09) and FT4 (r = 0.13, p = 0.32). Conclusions: These findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with AT in the elderly. Therefore, the screening for AT should be suggested in subjects with vitamin D deficiency.

http://ift.tt/2bSkLcn

Quantifying Phishing Susceptibility for Detection and Behavior Decisions

Objective:

We use signal detection theory to measure vulnerability to phishing attacks, including variation in performance across task conditions.

Background:

Phishing attacks are difficult to prevent with technology alone, as long as technology is operated by people. Those responsible for managing security risks must understand user decision making in order to create and evaluate potential solutions.

Method:

Using a scenario-based online task, we performed two experiments comparing performance on two tasks: detection, deciding whether an e-mail is phishing, and behavior, deciding what to do with an e-mail. In Experiment 1, we manipulated the order of the tasks and notification of the phishing base rate. In Experiment 2, we varied which task participants performed.

Results:

In both experiments, despite exhibiting cautious behavior, participants’ limited detection ability left them vulnerable to phishing attacks. Greater sensitivity was positively correlated with confidence. Greater willingness to treat e-mails as legitimate was negatively correlated with perceived consequences from their actions and positively correlated with confidence. These patterns were robust across experimental conditions.

Conclusion:

Phishing-related decisions are sensitive to individuals’ detection ability, response bias, confidence, and perception of consequences. Performance differs when people evaluate messages or respond to them but not when their task varies in other ways.

Application:

Based on these results, potential interventions include providing users with feedback on their abilities and information about the consequences of phishing, perhaps targeting those with the worst performance. Signal detection methods offer system operators quantitative assessments of the impacts of interventions and their residual vulnerability.

http://ift.tt/2bCgagA

Scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting improve adaptation to night shift work in older adults

Objectives

We tested whether a sleep and circadian-based treatment shown to improve circadian adaptation to night shifts and attenuate negative effects on alertness, performance and sleep in young adults would also be effective in older adults.

Methods

We assessed subjective alertness, sustained attention (psychomotor vigilance task, PVT), sleep duration (actigraphy) and circadian timing (salivary dim-light melatonin onset, DLMO) in 18 older adults (57.2±3.8 years; mean±SD) in a simulated shift work protocol. 4 day shifts were followed by 3 night shifts in the laboratory. Participants slept at home and were randomised to either the treatment group (scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting during the latter half of night shifts) or control group (ad-lib sleep and typical lighting during night shifts).

Results

Compared with day shifts, alertness and sustained attention declined on the first night shift in both groups, and was worse in the latter half of the night shifts. Alertness and attention improved on nights 2 and 3 for the treatment group but remained lower for the control group. Sleep duration in the treatment group remained similar to baseline (6–7 hours) following night shifts, but was shorter (3–5 hours) following night shifts in the control group. Treatment group circadian timing advanced by 169.3±16.1 min (mean±SEM) but did not shift (–9.7±9.9 min) in the control group.

Conclusions

The combined treatment of scheduled evening sleep and enhanced lighting increased sleep duration and partially aligned circadian phase with sleep and work timing, resulting in improved night shift alertness and performance.

http://ift.tt/2cdoQw1

Annexin A5 promotes macrophage activation and contributes to pulmonary fibrosis induced by silica particles

Objective:

To investigate the contributions and underlying molecular mechanisms of annexin A5 toward silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Methods:

Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups and instilled intratracheally with silica, saline, or air. Mice were euthanized at 3, 7, 14, or 28 days following treatment. Annexin A5 levels in serum and lung tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) assays or Western blots. The association of annexin A5 levels with silica-induced lung fibrosis was further investigated in the macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Following exposure of these cells to silica at a concentration of 200 μg/ml for 6 or 12 h, the expression levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 1α (IL-1α), Fas ligand (FasL), and their downstream targets were evaluated by Western blots. Furthermore, annexin A5 and FasL were knocked down by small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) and TGF-β1 secretion into the cell culture medium was measured by ELISA assays or Western blots.

Results:

Mice treated with silica demonstrated lung fibrosis at 28 days following exposure, whereas, in controls, only mild and transient inflammation was evident at day 3 and day 7 postinstillation and was not present at day 14. Furthermore, silica-exposed mice exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) elevated levels of annexin A5 in serum and lung tissues, relative to control groups. Consistent with these findings, silica exposure of RAW264.7 cells for 6 or 12 h, led to an annexin A5-dependent increase in the expression levels of TGF-β1, IL-1α, FasL, and their downstream target molecules. These silica-induced changes were reversed by siRNA-mediated knockdown of annexin A5, but downregulation of FasL led to increased annexin A5 expression and reduced levels of TGF-β1, IL-1α, and FasL downstream target molecules.

Conclusions:

These findings define a role of annexin A5 in promoting macrophage activation via Fas/FasL pathways in silica-induced lung fibrosis.

http://ift.tt/2bJgE4V

Biosorption of heavy metals by Pseudomonas species isolated from sugar industry

Heavy metal-resistant bacteria can be efficient bioremediators of metals and may provide an alternative or additional method to conventional methods of metal removal. In this study, 10 bacterial isolates were isolated from soil samples of a sugar industry, located at Peshawar, Pakistan. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of these isolates were observed. Sequence analysis (16S ribosomal RNA) revealed that isolated strains were closely related to the species belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Exiguobacterium, Citrobacter, and Enterobacter. Bacterial isolates were resistant with a minimum inhibitory concentration (500–900 ppm) to lead ion (Pb²⁺), (500–600 ppm) nickel ion (Ni²⁺), (500–800 ppm) copper ion (Cu²⁺), and (600–800 ppm) chromium ion (Cr³⁺) in solid media. Furthermore, biosorption of metals proved considerable removal of heavy metals by isolated metal-resistant strains. Pseudomonas sp. reduced 37% (Pb²⁺), 32% (Ni²⁺), 29% (Cu²⁺), and 32% (Cr³⁺) and was thus found to be most effective, whereas Enterobacter sp. reduced 19% (Pb²⁺), 7% (Ni²⁺), 14% (Cu²⁺), and 21% (Cr³⁺) and was found to be least effective. While average reduction of Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cr³⁺ by Citrobacter sp. was found to be 24%, 18%, 23%, and 27%, respectively, among recognized species. This study revealed that Pseudomonas sp. may provide a new microbial community that can be used for enhanced remediation of contaminated environment.

http://ift.tt/2bQye4z

Determination of mutagenicity and genotoxicity of indium tin oxide nanoparticles using the Ames test and micronucleus assay

In this study, the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of indium tin oxide (ITO) nanomaterial were assessed using two standard genotoxicity assays, the Salmonella reverse mutation assay (Ames test) and the in vitro micronucleus (MN) assay. Seven different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 µg/plate) of this nanomaterial were tested using the Ames test on the TA98 and TA100 strains in the presence and absence of the S9 mixture. At all the concentrations tested, this substance did not significantly increase the number of revertant colonies compared with the control with or without S9 mixture. The genotoxic effects of ITO were investigated in human peripheral lymphocytes treated with 125, 250, 500, and 750 µg/ml concentrations of this substance for 24- and 48-h treatment periods using an MN test. Nuclear division index (NDI) was also calculated in order to determine the cytotoxicity of ITO. It was determined that ITO increased MN frequency in the 750 µg/ml concentration in 24- and 48-h treatments. In addition, ITO dose dependently decreased the NDI significantly for two treatment periods.

http://ift.tt/2bJhcrl

Neurochemical impact of bisphenol A in the hippocampus and cortex of adult male albino rats

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonated plastics and epoxy resins and line metal beverage cans. Growing evidence suggests that BPA acts directly on neuronal functions as it is lipophilic and could accumulate in the brain. The present study aims to investigate the effect of two doses of BPA (10 mg/kg for 6 and 10 weeks and 25 mg/kg for 6 weeks) on excitatory (glutamate and aspartate) and inhibitory (-aminobutyric acid, glycine, and taurine) amino acid neurotransmitter levels in the cortex and hippocampus. This study extends to investigate the effect of BPA on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity and some oxidative stress parameters in the two regions. In the cortex, a significant increase in the excitatory and a significant decrease in the inhibitory amino acids occurred after BPA (10 mg/kg for 10 weeks and 25 mg/kg for 6 weeks). This was accompanied by a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, and reduced glutathione after 6 weeks of BPA (25 mg/kg). In the hippocampus, a significant increase in the excitatory and inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitters occurred after 6 weeks of BPA. Hippocampal lipid peroxidation increased significantly after BPA exposure and hippocampal reduced glutathione increased significantly after 6 weeks of BPA exposure (10 mg/kg). BPA induced a significant increase in cortical and hippocampal AchE activity. The present neurochemical changes in the cortex and hippocampus suggest that BPA induced a state of excitotoxicity and oxidative stress. This may raise concerns about the exposure of humans to BPA due to its wide applications in industry.

http://ift.tt/2bQwxUI

Effect of hexavalent chromium-treated sperm on in vitro fertilization and embryo development

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is an environmental contaminant that is associated with reproductive abnormalities in both humans and animals. In the present study, we evaluated the cytotoxic effect of Cr(VI) on sperm function and subsequent embryo development after in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sperm obtained from BDF1 male mice were treated with potassium dichromate (0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, or 50 μM) for 3 h. Cr(VI) significantly decreased sperm viability and acrosome reaction with increasing dose. These Cr(VI)-treated sperms were further used for IVF of oocytes obtained from BDF1 female mice. Results showed that Cr(VI)-treated sperm caused a significant reduction in IVF success, higher developmental arrest at the two-cell stage of embryos, and delayed blastocyst formation with increasing dose. In particular, most blastocysts from the Cr(VI)-treated sperm resulted in hatching failure as well as decreased inner cell mass and trophectoderm (TE). Furthermore, blastocysts obtained from Cr(VI)-treated sperm showed lower expression of not only TE-associated genes (eomes, cdx2, and krt8) but also pluripotent marker genes (sox2, pou5f1, and klf4) that are responsible for further embryo development of blastocyst embryos. The results of our current study showed that Cr(VI)-treated sperm had negative effects on oocyte fertilization and subsequent embryo development.

http://ift.tt/2bJglHp

Effects of aluminum chloride on serum proteins, bilirubin, and hepatic trace elements in chickens

The aim of this study was to reveal the effects of aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) on the hepatic metabolism function and trace elements’ distribution. Two hundred healthy male chickens (1 day old) were intraperitoneally administered with AlCl₃ (0, 18.31, 27.47, and 36.62 mg kg^–1 day^–1 of Al³⁺) consecutively for 3 days. Then the chickens were allowed to rest for 1 day. The cycle lasted four days. The cycle was repeated 15 times (60 days). The contents of serum total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TBI), direct bilirubin (DBI), hepatic aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) were examined. The results showed that the contents of serum TP and ALB and hepatic Fe and Zn decreased and the contents of serum TBI and DBI and hepatic Al and Cu increased in the chickens with AlCl₃. This indicates that chronic administration of AlCl₃ impairs the hepatic metabolism function and disorders the hepatic trace elements’ distribution.

http://ift.tt/2bQwQPy

The protective effects of prostaglandin E1 on lung injury following renal ischemia-reperfusion in rats

For the purposes of the present study, the protective effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on lung injury following renal ischemia–reperfusion (RIR) was investigated. Adult male rats were divided into four groups, namely, (I) control rats given physiological saline; (II) rats given PGE1 (20 μg/kg, intravenously); (III) rats subjected to RIR; and (IV) rats subjected to RIR given PGE1 30 min prior to ischemia and just before reperfusion. The right nephrectomy was performed in the RIR model. The left renal pedicle was occluded for 60 min to induce ischemia and then the left kidney was subjected to reperfusion for 60 min. The lungs of rats were used for microscopic and biochemical analyses. Although rats subjected to RIR did not exhibit heavy degenerative alterations in the lung structure, they possessed pulmonary interstitial edema. Lung glutathione levels and catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and tissue factor (TF) activities were decreased in rats subjected to RIR, while lung lipid peroxidation, myeloperoxidase (MPO), xanthine oxidase and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, and blood urea and serum creatinine levels were increased in these rats when compared with the control group. PGE1 treatments resulted in the regression of oxidative stress via induction of antioxidant system, the decreased MPO and LDH activities, the reduced urea and creatinine levels, and the induced TF activity in rats subjected to RIR, while edema still remained permanent. We conclude that PGE1 may be useful in preventing lung injury with the exception of edema that occurred as a result of RIR in rats.

http://ift.tt/2bJgBGh

Low doses of mercuric chloride cause the main features of anti-nucleolar autoimmunity in female outbred CFW mice

The growth of the influence of anthropogenic factors aimed on the improvement of human life has its side effect, for example, living organisms receive increasing exposure to toxic mercuric compounds. Experimental data show that mercury (Hg) salts are able to induce systemic autoimmunity in rodents. This Hg-induced autoimmune process (HgIA) is characterized by T cell-dependent polyclonal activation of B lymphocytes, increased level of serum immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and immunoglobulin E (IgE), production of antinucleolar autoantibodies (ANoA), and immune complex deposition in multiple organs. HgIA in mice is used as a model of human systemic autoimmune disorders. However, the dose of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) usually used in laboratory mice to induce HgIA is above the allowable limit for everyday levels of Hg exposure in humans. So, we decided to determine the lowest dose of HgCl₂ that is able to trigger autoimmunity in outbred Carworth Farms Swiss Webster (CFW) mice not genetically prone to HgIA development. The lowest dose (50 µg/kg body weight (b.w.)/week) was chosen to match the World Health Organization provisional weekly tolerable intake of total Hg for humans. We also tested HgCl₂ at 500 and 1500 µg/kg b.w./week (6.5- and 2-fold less than usually used for induction of HgIA in mice). We found that even the lowest dose of Hg resulted in a statistically significant increase in serum level of IgG1 after 8 weeks of treatment. HgCl₂ in doses 500 and 1500 µg/kg b.w./week resulted in a significant increase in serum level of IgG1 after 4 weeks of treatment, followed by ANoA production. Sera of HgCl₂-treated mice stained the regions in which the major autoantigen in HgIA, fibrillarin, was revealed. These results suggest that low doses of Hg are able to induce the main features of HgIA in genetically heterozygous mice, and that humans chronically exposed to low doses of Hg may be at risk of autoimmunity induction regardless of their genetic background.

http://ift.tt/2bQwDeZ

Mercuric chloride induced hepatotoxic and hematologic changes in rats: The protective effects of sodium selenite and vitamin E

This study focuses on investigating the possible protective effect of sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃) and/or vitamin E against mercuric chloride (HgCl₂)-induced hepatotoxicity in rat. Male rats were given HgCl₂ (1 mg/kg body weight (bw)) and HgCl₂ plus Na₂SeO₃ (0.25 mg/kg bw) and/or vitamin E (100 mg/kg bw) daily via gavage for 4 weeks. HgCl₂-treated groups had significantly higher white blood cell and thrombocyte counts than the control group. Serum activities of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, -glutamyl-transferase, and lactate dehydrogenase significantly increased and serum levels of total protein, albumin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased in the HgCl₂-treated groups compared with control group. Malondialdehyde level significantly increased and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities decreased in liver tissue of HgCl₂-treated rats. Also, HgCl₂ exposure resulted in histopathological changes. Supplementation of Na₂SeO₃ and/or vitamin E provided partial protection in hematological and biochemical parameters that were altered by HgCl₂. As a result, Na₂SeO₃ and/or vitamin E significantly reduced HgCl₂-induced hepatotoxicity, but not protected completely.

http://ift.tt/2bJh9fk

Toxic effects of ionic liquid 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide on the antioxidant defense system of freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica

The activities of antioxidant enzymes and the levels of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined when freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica was exposed to different concentrations of 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C₈mim]Br) for one, three, and five days. The results showed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity began to increase in all treated groups after three days of exposure, while catalase (CAT) activity was inhibited after the first day, but increased notably on the fifth day except for the lowest concentration group. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was induced from the first day of exposure and increased significantly after five days in all treated groups. During the experiment, the levels of intracellular GSH in all treated groups were higher than that of the control group. Changes in MDA suggest that [C₈mim]Br is toxic to D. japonica and may result in lipid peroxidation in planarian. Our results also indicate that GPX as well as GSH seem to be more sensitive biomarkers of oxidative stress compared with SOD and CAT.

http://ift.tt/2bQwW9P

Cytotoxic and genotoxic evaluation of different synthetic amorphous silica nanomaterials in the V79 cell line

The nature of occupational risks and hazards in industries that produce or use synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) nanoparticles is still under discussion. Manufactured SAS occur in amorphous form and can be divided into two main types according to the production process, namely, pyrogenic silica (powder) and precipitated silica (powder, gel or colloid). The physical and chemical properties of SAS may vary in terms of particle size, surface area, agglomeration state or purity, and differences in their toxicity potential might therefore be expected. The aim of this study was to compare the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of representative manufactured SAS samples in Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79 cells). Five samples from industrial SAS producers were evaluated, that is, two pyrogenic SAS powders (with primary particle sizes of 20 nm and 25/70 nm), one precipitated SAS powder (20 nm) and two precipitated SAS colloids (15 and 40/80 nm). V79 cell cultures were treated with different concentrations of SAS pre-dispersed in bovine serum albumin –water medium. Pyr (pyrogenic) 20, Pre (precipitated) 20 and Col (colloid) 15 significantly decreased the cell viability after 24 h of exposure, whilst Pyr 25/70 and Col 40/80 had negligible effects. The cytotoxicity of Pyr 20, Pre 20 and Col 15 was revealed by the induction of apoptosis, and Pyr 20 and Col 15 also produced DNA damage. However, none of the SAS samples generated intracellular reactive oxidative species, micronuclei or genomic mutations in V79 cells after 24 h of exposure. Overall, the results of this study show that pyrogenic, precipitated and colloidal manufactured SAS of around 20 nm primary particle size can produce significant cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in V79 cells. In contrast, the coarser-grained pyrogenic and colloid SAS (approximately 50 nm) yielded negligible toxicity, despite having been manufactured by same processes as their finer-grained equivalents. To explain these differences, the influence of particle agglomeration and oxidative species formation is discussed.

http://ift.tt/2bJghr9

Effect of N-acetylcysteine administration on homocysteine level, oxidative damage to proteins, and levels of iron (Fe) and Fe-related proteins in lead-exposed workers

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) could be included in protocols designed for the treatment of lead toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we decided to investigate the influence of NAC administration on homocysteine (Hcy) levels, oxidative damage to proteins, and the levels of iron (Fe), transferrin (TRF), and haptoglobin (HPG) in lead (Pb)-exposed workers. The examined population (n = 171) was composed of male employees who worked with Pb. They were randomized into four groups. Workers who were not administered any antioxidants, drugs, vitamins, or dietary supplements were classified as the reference group (n = 49). The remaining three groups consisted of workers who were treated orally with NAC at three different doses (1 x 200, 2 x 200, or 2 x 400 mg) for 12 weeks. After the treatment, blood Pb levels significantly decreased in the groups receiving NAC compared with the reference group. The protein concentration was not affected by NAC administration. In contrast, Hcy levels significantly decreased or showed a strong tendency toward lower values depending on the NAC dose. Levels of the protein carbonyl groups were significantly decreased in all of the groups receiving NAC. Conversely, glutamate dehydrogenase activity was significantly elevated in all of the groups receiving NAC, while the level of protein thiol groups was significantly elevated only in the group receiving 200 mg of NAC. Treatment with NAC did not significantly affect Fe and TRF levels, whereas HPG levels showed a tendency toward lower values. Treatment with NAC normalized the level of Hcy and decreased oxidative stress as measured by the protein carbonyl content; this effect occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, small doses of NAC elevated the levels of protein thiol groups. Therefore, NAC could be introduced as an alternative therapy for chronic Pb toxicity in humans.

http://ift.tt/2bQwxnG

Reproductive toxicity in male mice after exposure to high molybdenum and low copper concentrations

To evaluate the effects of dietary high molybdenum (HMo) and low copper (LCu) concentrations on reproductive toxicity of male mice, 80 mice were divided into 4 groups of 20. These groups were fed with the following: (1) normal control (NC) diet (NC group); (2) NC and HMo diets (HMo group); (3) LCu diet (LCu group); and (4) HMo and LCu diets (HMoLCu group). On the 50th and 100th day, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were analyzed to determine oxidative stress states. Morphological changes in testicular tissue were evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin staining and ultrastructural changes were monitored by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that administration of HMo, LCu, and HMoLCu not only decreased sperm density and motility but also increased the rate of teratosperm occurrence. A significant increase in MDA content and a decrease in SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC contents were observed in LCu, HMo, and HMoLCu groups. Testicular tissues and cells of mice were damaged by HMo and the damages were more serious in the case of Cu deficiency. Exposure to HMo adversely affected the reproductive system of male mice, and dietary LCu plays key roles in HMo-induced reproductive toxicity.

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Cytochrome P450 2E1 is responsible for the initiation of 1,2-dichloropropane-induced liver damage

1,2-Dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), a solvent, which is the main component of the cleaner used in the offset printing companies in Japan, is suspected to be the causative agent of bile duct cancer, which has been recently reported at high incidence in those offset printing workplaces. While there are some reports about the acute toxicity of 1,2-DCP, no information about its metabolism related to toxicity in animals is available. As part of our efforts toward clarifying the role of 1,2-DCP in the development of cancer, we studied the metabolic pathways and the hepatotoxic effect of 1,2-DCP in mice with or without cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) activity. In an in vitro reaction system containing liver homogenate, 1,2-DCP was only metabolized by liver tissue of wild-type mice but not by that of cyp2e1-null mice. Furthermore, the kinetics of the solvent in mice revealed a great difference between the two genotypes; 1,2-DCP administration resulted in dose-dependent hepatic damage, as shown biochemically and pathologically, but this effect was only observed in wild-type mice. The nuclear factor B p52 pathway was involved in the liver response to 1,2-DCP. Our results clearly indicate that the oxidative metabolism of 1,2-DCP in mice is exclusively catalyzed by CYP2E1, and this step is indispensable for the manifestation of the hepatotoxic effect of the solvent.

http://ift.tt/2bQwOXW

Musculoskeletal problems and fluoride exposure: A cross-sectional study among metal smelting workers

Frequent and repetitive activities in job and awkward postures are shown as major contributors of musculoskeletal problems in most of the occupational health studies; however, efforts to explore newer risk factor are important to plan interventional measures. In this backdrop, this study examined contribution of fluoride exposure to musculoskeletal complaints. A cross-sectional interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was conducted involving 180 randomly selected subjects from a metal smelting industry. Clinical examination of the subjects was also performed to assess their health status and morbidity details. Assessment of personal exposure to particulate and gaseous fluoride at workplace was conducted. Urinary fluoride level was also examined in post-shift samples collected from study subjects. The mean age of the study subjects was 39.1 (±6.7) years. Majority of the workers (42.5%) were engaged in pot room. About 54% workers were suffering from backache and 66% subjects had joint pain. Exposure of workers to both particulate and gaseous fluoride and post-working shift urinary fluoride level was significantly higher in pot-room workers in comparison with all other workers. It was observed that age (odds ratio (OR): 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18–2.34), drinking untreated water (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.03–2.76), working in pot room (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.13–1.91) and urinary fluoride level (OR: 2.71; 95% CI: 1.81–3.75) had significant effects on musculoskeletal complaints. This study concludes that along with other predictors such as nature of work, posture at work and age of worker, exposure to fluoride also has significant role in the occurrence of musculoskeletal morbidity.

http://ift.tt/2bJg9YA

Evaluation of genome damage in subjects occupationally exposed to possible carcinogens

In occupational exposures, populations are simultaneously exposed to a mixture of chemicals. We aimed to evaluate DNA damage due to possible carcinogen exposure (phenylhydrazine, ethylene oxide, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane) in lymphocytes of pharmaceutical industry workers from the same production line. Population comprised 16 subjects (9 females and 7 males) who were exposed to multiple chemicals for 8 months. Genome damage was assessed using alkaline comet assay, micronucleus assay, and comet assay coupled with fluorescent in situ hybridization (comet-FISH). After 8 months of exposure, the issue of irregular use of all available personal protective equipment (PPE) came into light. To decrease the risk of exposure, strict use of PPE was enforced. After 8 months of strict PPE use, micronuclei frequency and comet assay parameters in lymphocytes of pharmaceutical workers significantly decreased compared with prior period of irregular PPE use. Comet-FISH results indicated a significant shift in distribution of signals for the TP 53 gene toward a more frequent occurrence in the comet tail. Prolonged exposure to possible carcinogens may hinder DNA repair mechanisms and affect structural integrity of TP 53. Two indicators of loss of TP 53 gene integrity have risen, namely, TP 53 fragmentation rate in lymphocytes with persistently elevated primary damage and incidence of TP 53 deletions in undamaged lymphocytes.

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Effects of formaldehyde inhalation on humoral immunity and protective effect of Nigella sativa oil: An experimental study

Aim:

This study was carried out to determine the effects of formaldehyde (FA) inhalation on the humoral immunity of rats and the protective effect of Nigella sativa (NS) oil.

Materials and Methods:

The rats (n = 33) were divided into five groups, with five animals in the control group (FA-free air) and seven in the other four groups. Group FA1 was exposed to FA (5 ppm), group FA + NS1 was treated with NS and exposed to FA (5 ppm), group FA2 was exposed to FA (10 ppm), and group FA + NS2 was treated with NS and exposed to FA (10 ppm). At the end of a 4-week study period, blood samples were collected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of serum total immunoglobulin A (IgA), total immunoglobulin M (IgM), total immunoglobulin G (IgG), and complement 3 (C3).

Results:

FA inhalation significantly increased serum IgA, IgM, and C3 levels and decreased serum IgG levels compared with the control group. NS administration decreased serum IgA, IgM, and C3 levels, which were induced by FA inhalation.

Conclusion:

FA inhalation significantly increased acute antibody responses and C3 levels in a dose-dependent manner compared with the control group. FA inhalation decreased the secondary immune response compared with the control group. Levels of acute antibody responses and complement following exposure to FA inhalation returned to normal following treatment with NS (immunoregulatory effect). However, NS did not affect the secondary immune response.

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In vitro mechanistic study of endosulfan-induced spermatogenic cell apoptosis in the mouse

To investigate the mechanisms of endosulfan-induced reproductive toxicity, the spermatogenic cell lines (GC-1 spg) of mice were treated with 0, 6, 12, and 24 μg/ml endosulfan for 24 h in vitro. The results showed that endosulfan induced apoptosis as well as oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Reactive oxygen species and damage of mitochondrial structure were considered as major factors to GC-1 spg cells apoptosis. We further examined the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in mitochondria pathway by Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis as well as activities. The results showed that endosulfan significantly improved the expressions of cytochrome c and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein and increased the activities of caspases 9 and 3 as well as the downregulation of the expression of Bcl-2 in GC-1 spg cells. The results suggested that exposure to endosulfan might induce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells via mitochondria-dependent pathway mediated by oxidative stress resulting in the damage of mitochondrial structure and mitochondrial dysfunction.

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Melatonin controlled apoptosis and protected the testes and sperm quality against bisphenol A-induced oxidative toxicity

Epidemiological reports have indicated a correlation between the increasing bisphenol A (BPA) levels in the environment and the incidence of male infertility. In this study, the protective effects of melatonin on BPA-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis were investigated in the rat testes and epididymal sperm. Melatonin (10 mg/kg body weight (bw)) was injected concurrently with BPA (50 mg/kg bw) for 3 and 6 weeks. The administration of BPA significantly increased oxidative stress in the testes and epididymal sperm. This was associated with a decrease in the serum testosterone level as well as sperm quality, chromatin condensation/de-condensation level, and the percentage of haploid germ cells in the semen. BPA administration caused a significant increase in apoptosis accompanied by a decrease in the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 in the testes and epididymal sperm. The concurrent administration of melatonin decreased oxidative stress by modulating the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase as well as the malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in the testes and sperm. Melatonin sustained Bcl-2 expression and controlled apoptosis. Furthermore, melatonin maintained the testosterone levels, ameliorated histopathological changes, increased the percentages of seminal haploid germ cells, and protected sperm chromatin condensation process, indicating appropriate spermatogenesis with production of functional sperm. In conclusion, melatonin protected against BPA-induced apoptosis by controlling Bcl-2 expression and ameliorating oxidative stress in the testes and sperm. Thus, melatonin is a promising pharmacological agent for preventing the potential reproductive toxicity of BPA following occupational or environmental exposures.

http://ift.tt/2bJgieH

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 848: Awareness of Tobacco-Related Health Harms among Vulnerable Populations in Bangladesh: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey

This study assessed the knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco use among vulnerable populations in Bangladesh and whether vulnerability was associated with the presence of complete home smoking bans. Data came from Wave 3 (2011–2012) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey, a nationally-representative survey of 3131 tobacco users and 2147 non-users. Socio-demographic measures of disadvantage were used as proxy measures of vulnerability, including sex, residential location, education and income. Outcome measures were awareness of the harmful effects of (a) cigarette smoking and (b) smokeless tobacco use and (c) whether respondents had complete smoking bans in their homes. Logistic regression was used to examine whether the adjusted prevalence of each outcome differed by socio-demographic proxies of vulnerability. Smaller percentages of women, the illiterate, urban slum residents and low-income Bangladeshis were aware of the health harms of tobacco. These vulnerable groups generally had lower odds of awareness compared to the least disadvantaged groups. Incomplete knowledge of tobacco’s harms may prevent vulnerable groups from taking steps to protect their health. Development goals, such as increasing literacy rates and empowering women, can complement the goals of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

http://ift.tt/2bzeLXQ

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 845: Public’s Health Risk Awareness on Urban Air Pollution in Chinese Megacities: The Cases of Shanghai, Wuhan and Nanchang

This study assessed the public’s health risk awareness of urban air pollution triggered by three megacities in China, and the data are the responses from a sample size of 3868 megacity inhabitants from Shanghai, Nanchang and Wuhan. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize the respondents’ demographics, perceived health risks from air pollution and sources of health-related knowledge on urban air pollution. Chi-square tests were used to examine if participants’ demographics were associated with participant’s general attitudes towards current air quality and the three perceived highest health risks due to urban air pollution. We found low rate of satisfaction of current urban air quality as well as poor knowledge of air pollution related indicator. Participants’ gender, age and travel experience were found to be associated with the satisfaction of current air quality. The knowledge of air pollution related indicator was significantly affected by respondents’ education, monthly income, health status, and sites of study. As many as 46.23% of the participants expressed their feelings of anxiety when exposed to polluted air, especially females, older adults and those with poor health conditions. Most participants believed that coughs/colds, eye problems and skin allergies were the three highest health risks due to urban air pollution based on public education through television/radio, internet and newspaper/magazine. Further public health education is needed to improve public awareness of air pollution and its effects.

http://ift.tt/2biFrcj

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 849: Pigs in Space: Determining the Environmental Justice Landscape of Swine Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Iowa

Given the primacy of Iowa in pork production for the U.S. and global markets, we sought to understand if the same relationship with traditional environmental justice (EJ) variables such as low income and minority populations observed in other concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) studies exists in the relationship with swine CAFO densities in Iowa. We examined the potential for spatial clustering of swine CAFOs in certain parts of the state and used spatial regression techniques to determine the relationships of high swine concentrations to these EJ variables. We found that while swine CAFOs do cluster in certain regions and watersheds of Iowa, these high densities of swine are not associated with traditional EJ populations of low income and minority race/ethnicity. Instead, the potential for environmental injustice in the negative impacts of intensive swine production require a more complex appraisal. The clustering of swine production in watersheds, the presence of antibiotics used in swine production in public waterways, the clustering of manure spills, and other findings suggest that a more literal and figurative “downstream” approach is necessary. We document the presence and location of antibiotics used in animal production in the public waterways of the state. At the same time, we suggest a more “upstream” understanding of the structural, political and economic factors that create an environmentally unjust landscape of swine production in Iowa and the Upper Midwest is also crucial. Finally, we highlight the important role of publicly accessible and high quality data in the analysis of these upstream and downstream EJ questions.

http://ift.tt/2bQV5MV

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 846: Bioaugmentation: An Emerging Strategy of Industrial Wastewater Treatment for Reuse and Discharge

A promising long-term and sustainable solution to the growing scarcity of water worldwide is to recycle and reuse wastewater. In wastewater treatment plants, the biodegradation of contaminants or pollutants by harnessing microorganisms present in activated sludge is one of the most important strategies to remove organic contaminants from wastewater. However, this approach has limitations because many pollutants are not efficiently eliminated. To counterbalance the limitations, bioaugmentation has been developed and consists of adding specific and efficient pollutant-biodegrading microorganisms into a microbial community in an effort to enhance the ability of this microbial community to biodegrade contaminants. This approach has been tested for wastewater cleaning with encouraging results, but failure has also been reported, especially during scale-up. In this review, work on the bioaugmentation in the context of removal of important pollutants from industrial wastewater is summarized, with an emphasis on recalcitrant compounds, and strategies that can be used to improve the efficiency of bioaugmentation are also discussed. This review also initiates a discussion regarding new research areas, such as nanotechnology and quorum sensing, that should be investigated to improve the efficiency of wastewater bioaugmentation.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 847: China’s Land-Use Changes during the Past 300 Years: A Historical Perspective

Understanding the processes of historical land-use change is crucial to the research of global environmental sustainability. Here we examine and attempt to disentangle the evolutionary interactions between land-use change and its underlying causes through a historical lens. We compiled and synthesized historical land-use change and various biophysical, political, socioeconomic, and technical datasets, from the Qing dynasty to modern China. The analysis reveals a clear transition period between the 1950s and the 1980s. Before the 1950s, cropland expanded while forested land diminished, which was also accompanied by increasing population; after the 1980s land-use change exhibited new characteristics: changes in cropland, and decoupling of forest from population as a result of agricultural intensification and globalization. Chinese political policies also played an important and complex role, especially during the 1950s–1980s transition periods. Overall, climate change plays an indirect but fundamental role in the dynamics of land use via a series of various cascading effects such as shrinking agricultural production proceeding to population collapse and outbreaks of war. The expected continuation of agricultural intensification this century should be able to support increasing domestic demand for richer diets, but may not be compatible with long-term environmental sustainability.

http://ift.tt/2bQUg75

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 843: An Overview of the Control of Bacterial Pathogens in Cattle Manure

Cattle manure harbors microbial constituents that make it a potential source of pollution in the environment and infections in humans. Knowledge of, and microbial assessment of, manure is crucial in a bid to prevent public health and environmental hazards through the development of better management practices and policies that should govern manure handling. Physical, chemical and biological methods to reduce pathogen population in manure do exist, but are faced with challenges such as cost, odor pollution, green house gas emission, etc. Consequently, anaerobic digestion of animal manure is currently one of the most widely used treatment method that can help to salvage the above-mentioned adverse effects and in addition, produces biogas that can serve as an alternative/complementary source of energy. However, this method has to be monitored closely as it could be fraught with challenges during operation, caused by the inherent characteristics of the manure. In addition, to further reduce bacterial pathogens to a significant level, anaerobic digestion can be combined with other methods such as thermal, aerobic and physical methods. In this paper, we review the bacterial composition of cattle manure as well as methods engaged in the control of pathogenic microbes present in manure and recommendations that need to be respected and implemented in order to prevent microbial contamination of the environment, animals and humans.

http://ift.tt/2bzdTTe

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 844: Mapping the Racial Inequality in Place: Using Youth Perceptions to Identify Unequal Exposure to Neighborhood Environmental Hazards

Black youth are more likely than white youth to grow up in poor, segregated neighborhoods. This racial inequality in the neighborhood environments of black youth increases their contact with hazardous neighborhood environmental features including violence and toxic exposures that contribute to racial inequality in youth health and well-being. While the concept of neighborhood effects has been studied at length by social scientists, this work has not been as frequently situated within an environmental justice (EJ) paradigm. The present study used youth perceptions gained from in-depth interviews with youth from one Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhood to identify neighborhood environmental health hazards. We then mapped these youth-identified features to examine how they are spatially and racially distributed across the city. Our results suggest that the intersection of race and poverty, neighborhood disorder, housing abandonment, and crime were salient issues for youth. The maps show support for the youths’ assertions that the environments of black and white individuals across the city of Pittsburgh differ in noteworthy ways. This multi-lens, mixed-method analysis was designed to challenge some of the assumptions we make about addressing environmental inequality using youths’ own opinions on the issue to drive our inquiry.

http://ift.tt/2bzeKTM

Prediction of prognosis for people off sick with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the second most common cause of disability worldwide.1 Among people of working age, musculoskeletal conditions, including back pain, neck pain, upper limb disorders and arthritis account for almost a quarter of all sickness absence. Furthermore, MSDs contribute even more significantly to presenteeism (the reduction in working performance while at work because of ill health) and impaired in-work productivity (although these are more challenging to quantify accurately). Indeed, it is estimated that the total cost of lost productivity attributable to MSDs among people of working age in the European Union (EU) might be as high as 2% of gross domestic product.2 For these reasons, we urgently need to develop effective strategies to identify those individuals with recent-onset musculoskeletal pain or injury at greatest risk of long-term work disability and to develop effectual and cost-effective preventive and treatment interventions.

For these reasons, the paper by...

http://ift.tt/2bNZC2F

Predictive value of the DASH tool for predicting return to work of injured workers with musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity

Objectives

To determine whether the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) tool added to the predictive ability of established prognostic factors, including patient demographic and clinical outcomes, to predict return to work (RTW) in injured workers with musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders of the upper extremity.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study using a population-based database from the Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta (WCB-Alberta) that focused on claimants with upper extremity injuries was used. Besides the DASH, potential predictors included demographic, occupational, clinical and health usage variables. Outcome was receipt of compensation benefits after 3 months. To identify RTW predictors, a purposeful logistic modelling strategy was used. A series of receiver operating curve analyses were performed to determine which model provided the best discriminative ability.

Results

The sample included 3036 claimants with upper extremity injuries. The final model for predicting RTW included the total DASH score in addition to other established predictors. The area under the curve for this model was 0.77, which is interpreted as fair discrimination. This model was statistically significantly different than the model of established predictors alone (p<0.001). When comparing the DASH total score versus DASH item 23, a non-significant difference was obtained between the models (p=0.34).

Conclusions

The DASH tool together with other established predictors significantly helped predict RTW after 3 months in participants with upper extremity MSK disorders. An appealing result for clinicians and busy researchers is that DASH item 23 has equal predictive ability to the total DASH score.

http://ift.tt/2bwvj2I

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 841: Association between Serum Uric Acid and Elevated Alanine Aminotransferase in the General Population

Background: Both the serum uric acid (SUA) level and elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are related to metabolic syndrome. However, the association between SUA and elevated ALT has not been elucidated in the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between SUA and elevated ALT in the general population of China; Methods: A total of 11,572 adults (≥35 years of age) participated in this survey. Elevated ALT was defined as >40 U/L. SUA ≥ 7.0 mg/dL in males or ≥6.0 mg/dL in females was defined as hyperuricemia. SUA within the reference range was divided into quartiles, and its associations with elevated ALT were evaluated by logistic regressions; Results: A total of 7.4% participants had elevated ALT. The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 14.9% in males and 7.3% in females. There was a significantly positive dose-response association between SUA levels and the prevalence of elevated ALT. After adjusting for potential confounders, a positive relationship for elevated ALT was observed in subjects with hyperuricemia (odds ratio [OR]: 2.032, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.443–2.861 for men; OR: 2.045, 95% CI: 1.221–3.425 for women, both p < 0.05). Within the reference range, the association between SUA and elevated ALT persisted in the fourth quartile (OR: 1.467, 95% CI: 1.063–2.025 for men; OR: 1.721, 95% CI: 1.146–2.585 for women, both p < 0.05); Conclusions: Our results indicated that an increased SUA level, even within the reference range, was independently associated with elevated ALT in Chinese adults.

http://ift.tt/2bNkB6m

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 842: The Relationships between Human Fatigue and Public Health: A Brief Commentary on Selected Papers from the 9th International Conference on Managing Fatigue in Transportation, Resources and Health

The 9th International Conference on Managing Fatigue in Transportation, Resources and Health was held in Fremantle, Western Australia in March 2015. The purpose of the conferences in this series is to provide a forum for industry representatives, regulators, and scientists to discuss recent advances in the field of fatigue research. We have produced a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health based on papers from the conference that were focused on various aspects of public health. First, the Special Issue highlights the fact that working long shifts and/or night shifts can affect not only cognitive functioning, but also physical health. In particular, three papers examined the potential relationships between shiftwork and different aspects of health, including the cardiovascular system, sleep disordered breathing, and eating behaviour. Second, the Special Issue highlights the move away from controlling fatigue through prescriptive hours of service rules and toward the application of risk management principles. In particular, three papers indicated that best-practice fatigue risk management systems should contain multiple redundant layers of defense against fatigue-related errors and accidents.

http://ift.tt/2bFzdHh

IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 840: Evaluating Mobile Survey Tools (MSTs) for Field-Level Monitoring and Data Collection: Development of a Novel Evaluation Framework, and Application to MSTs for Rural Water and Sanitation Monitoring

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) such as mobile survey tools (MSTs) can facilitate field-level data collection to drive improvements in national and international development programs. MSTs allow users to gather and transmit field data in real time, standardize data storage and management, automate routine analyses, and visualize data. Dozens of diverse MST options are available, and users may struggle to select suitable options. We developed a systematic MST Evaluation Framework (EF), based on International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) software quality modeling standards, to objectively assess MSTs and assist program implementers in identifying suitable MST options. The EF is applicable to MSTs for a broad variety of applications. We also conducted an MST user survey to elucidate needs and priorities of current MST users. Finally, the EF was used to assess seven MSTs currently used for water and sanitation monitoring, as a validation exercise. The results suggest that the EF is a promising method for evaluating MSTs.

http://ift.tt/2beYkRU