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Adverse Health Effects (adverse + health_effects)
Selected AbstractsA Censored Quantile Regression Analysis of Vegetable Demand: The Effects of Changes in Prices and Total ExpenditureCANADIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2006Geir Wæhler Gustavsen Many diseases are linked to dietary behavior. One major diet-related risk factor is a low consumption of vegetables. The consumption may be increased through public policies. The effects on vegetable purchases of either removing the value added tax on vegetables or a general income support are investigated. Adverse health effects are most serious in households consuming low quantities of vegetables. Therefore, the effects on high- and low-consuming households are estimated by using quantile regressions (QRs). Since many households did not purchase any vegetable during each survey period, censored as well as ordinary QRs are used. Our results suggest that the effects of the policy variables differ in different parts of the conditional distribution of vegetable purchases. None of the proposed policy options is likely to substantially increase vegetable purchases among low-consuming households. Bon nombre de maladies découlent des habitudes alimentaires. La faible consommation de légumes constitue un important facteur de risque liéà l'alimentation. Cette consommation pourrait être accrue par l'instauration de politiques gouvernementales. Nous avons examiné les effets de l'abolition de la taxe sur la valeur ajoutée ou d'un soutien du revenu sur les achats de légumes. Les effets néfastes sur la santé sont plus graves chez les ménages qui consomment de faibles quantités de légumes. Nous avons donc estimé les effets chez les ménages à forte et à faible consommation de légumes à l'aide de régressions par quantile. Comme de nombreux ménages n'ont pas acheté de légumes au cours des périodes sondées, nous avons utilisé des régressions par quantile censurées et des régressions par quantile ordinaires. Nos résultats ont indiqué que les effets des variables concernant les politiques diffèrent dans différentes parties de la distribution conditionnelle des achats de légumes. Aucune des options politiques proposées ne semble susceptible d'accroître substantiellement les achats de légumes chez les ménages qui en consomment peu. [source] Adverse health effects related to tobacco smoke exposure in a cohort of three-year oldsACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 3 2008AnnaKarin Johansson Abstract Aim: To analyse the importance of mothers' smoking during pregnancy and/or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in early childhood for children's health and well-being at the age of 3 years. Methods: Four groups from a population based cohort (n = 8850) were compared: children with nonsmoking mother during pregnancy and nonsmoking parents at the age of 3 years (n = 7091); children with only foetal exposure (n = 149); children exposed only postnatally (n = 895) and children exposed both pre- and postnatally (n = 595). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: Children exposed both pre- and postnatally had more wheezing (1.14; 1.07,1.21) and rhinitis (1.16; 1.06,1.26), used more cough-mixture (1.07; 1.01,1.14) and broncodilatating drugs (1.08; 1.02,1.15) and suffered more from excessive crying (1.31; 1.13,1.51) and irritability (1.27; 1.09,1.48) compared to children with nonsmoking parents. Children exposed only postnatally had more rhinitis (1.24; 1.12,1.37), used more cough-mixture (1.14; 1.05,1.29) and suffered more from poor sleep (1.26; 1.07,1.47) than children of nonsmoking parents. Children with prenatal exposure only used more broncodilatating drugs (1.45; 1.03,2.04) and suffered more from poor sleep (2.06; 1.09,3.87). Conclusion: Health differences, small but significant, indicate that prenatal and/or postnatal ETS exposure alone, or in combination, seems to interfere with child health, supporting the importance of zero tolerance. However, as most smoking parents in Sweden try to protect their children from ETS exposure, the results also might indicate that protective measures are worthwhile. [source] Adverse health effects of children's exposure to pesticides: What do we really know and what can be done about itACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 2006JOANNA JUREWICZ Abstract Children may be exposed to pesticides in several ways, such as by transplacental transfer during foetal life, by intake of contaminated breast milk and other nutrients, or by contact with contaminated subjects and areas in the environment such as pets treated with insecticides, house dust, carpets and chemically treated lawns and gardens. Exposure early in life, and particularly during periods of rapid development, such as during foetal life and infancy, may have severe effects on child health and development by elevating the risk of congenital malformations, cancer, malabsorption, immunological dysfunction, endocrine disease, and neurobehavioural deficiencies. As pesticides can also interfere with parental reproductive health, exposure of parents may have consequences for the offspring leading to reduced chance of male birth and increased risk of childhood cancer. Conclusions: Current knowledge about tolerable levels and consequences of toxic exposure to pesticides during human development is rather scarce. Owing to the high risk of exposure to pesticides, particularly in less developed countries, further elucidation by well-controlled epidemiological studies in this field it is urgently needed. The Policy Interpretation Network on Children's Health and Environment (PINCHE), which is financed by the EU DG research has suggested actions against pesticide exposure. They have been presented and discussed in this paper. Several suggestions of PINCHE concerning action needed regarding pesticides were presented in the paper. [source] Necessity to establish new risk assessment and risk communication for human fetal exposure to multiple endocrine disruptors in JapanCONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 2 2002Emiko Todaka ABSTRACT, Our recent study clearly shows that fetuses are exposed to multiple chemicals including endocrine disruptors in Japan. Although the embryo and fetus stages are the most sensitive period to chemicals in humans' life cycle, the health effects of the chemicals such as endocrine disruptors to them are largely unknown. The conventional risk assessment method cannot assess the risk to fetuses precisely. Now we need a new risk assessment, in which the target is fetuses and not the adults, in addition to the conventional risk assessment At the same time, we also need a new strategy to practically eliminate the risk for the future generations. To make the strategy effective, we suggest a new approach to reduce the risk and avoid the possible adverse health effects, using primary, secondary and tertiary preventions as they are used in public health. We also suggest a new concept of "pre-primary prevention" to reduce the risk for fetuses. Furthermore, to make this method even more practical, we suggest a new risk communication method. In this paper, we present a framework of risk avoidance of multiple chemical exposure to fetuses. [source] The association of snus and smoking behaviour: a cohort analysis of Swedish males in the 1990sADDICTION, Issue 9 2009Magnus Stenbeck ABSTRACT Background The European Union has banned sales of moist snuff (snus) in all member states, with the exception of Sweden. The ban is motivated by the potential adverse health effects of snus, but snus may also help people to avoid smoking or stop tobacco use. Aims The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between snus and smoking behaviour. Measurements The Swedish Survey of Living Conditions (ULF) health interview panel running from 1988/9 to 1996/7 was used to examine the gross and net flows between smoking and snus among Swedish males. Females were excluded from the analysis due to low snus prevalence. Contingency table models were used to investigate several hypotheses about the relationships between snus and smoking behaviour. Findings We found clear associations between the two habits. For the younger cohort (age 16,44 years), snus use contributed to approximately six smoking quitters per smoking starter attributable to snus. For the older cohort (age 45,84) there were slightly more than two quitters per starter. In terms of odds ratios, in the younger group smoking cessation attributable to snus was twice as common as smoking initiation, but in the older group the odds of starting smoking attributable to snus was 2.5 times higher than for quitting. Conclusions Snus contributed to the reduction of smoking among Swedish males in the 1990s. Snus had different effects among non-smokers and smokers in different age groups. [source] Genotoxicity and physicochemical characteristics of traffic-related ambient particulate matterENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 2 2005Theo M. de Kok Abstract Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) has been linked to several adverse health effects. Since vehicular traffic is a PM source of growing importance, we sampled total suspended particulate (TSP), PM10, and PM2.5 at six urban locations with pronounced differences in traffic intensity. The mutagenicity, DNA-adduct formation, and induction of oxidative DNA damage by the samples were studied as genotoxicological parameters, in relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels, elemental composition, and radical-generating capacity (RGC) as chemical characteristics. We found pronounced differences in the genotoxicity and chemical characteristics of PM from the various locations, although we could not establish a correlation between traffic intensity and any of these characteristics for any of the PM size fractions. Therefore, the differences between locations may be due to local sources of PM, other than traffic. The concentration of total (carcinogenic) PAHs correlated positively with RGC, direct and S9-mediated mutagenicity, as well as the induction of DNA adducts and oxidative DNA damage. The interaction between total PAHs and transition metals correlated positively with DNA-adduct formation, particularly from the PM2.5 fraction. RGC was not associated with one specific PM size fraction, but mutagenicity and DNA reactivity after metabolic activation were relatively high in PM10 and PM2.5, when compared with TSP. We conclude that the toxicological characteristics of urban PM samples show pronounced differences, even when PM concentrations at the sample sites are comparable. This implies that emission reduction strategies that take chemical and toxicological characteristics of PM into account may be useful for reducing the health risks associated with PM exposure. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Structure,activity relationships for the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of simple and ,-, unsaturated aldehydesENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 3 2003Romualdo Benigni Abstract Aldehydes are important industrial compounds that are used for the synthesis of chemicals and pharmaceuticals and as solvents, food additives, and disinfectants. Because of their reactivity, aldehydes are able to interact with electron-rich biological macromolecules and adverse health effects have been reported, including general toxicity, allergenic reactions, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity. The cost, time, and number of animals necessary to adequately screen these chemicals places serious limitations on the number of aldehydes whose health potential can be studied and points to the need of using alternative methods for assessing, at least in a preliminary way, the risks associated with the use of aldehydes. A method of choice is the study of quantitative structure,activity relationships (QSARs). In the present work, we present QSAR models for the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of simple aldehydes and ,-, unsaturated aldehydes. The models point to the role of electrophilicity, bulkiness, and hydrophobicity in the genotoxic activity of the aldehydes and lend themselves to the prediction of the activity of other untested chemicals of the same class. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 42:136,143, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Aroclor 1254 alters morphology, survival, and gene expression in Xenopus laevis tadpolesENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 1 2002Anna M. Jelaso Abstract PCBs are persistent environmental contaminants that cause a variety of adverse health effects in wildlife and humans. This article describes the use of signature gene expression patterns that link increased PCB exposure with progressive, adverse biological effects. Developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles of two age classes were exposed to the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 for 2 days. Real-time PCR was used to quantitate mRNA expression for 11 physiologically relevant, potential bioindicator genes. Younger tadpoles (5 days postfertilization) were resistant to Aroclor 1254 and showed few changes in gross morphology, swimming behavior, survival, or gene expression. Older tadpoles (11 days postfertilization) were more susceptible to Aroclor 1254. Exposure to 25 and 50 ppm Aroclor 1254 caused alterations in gross morphology and swimming behavior and statistically significant decreases in survival. These tadpoles showed statistically significant decreases in gene expression for 9 out of the 11 genes measured. Tadpoles exposed to 10 ppm showed incipient health changes but had gene expression profiles similar to the tadpoles treated with higher doses of Aroclor 1254. Tadpoles exposed to 1 ppm did not exhibit any observable adverse health effects, yet statistically significant decreases in gene expression occurred in these tadpoles (4 out of 11 genes). After prolonged exposure, tadpoles exposed to 1 and 10 ppm Aroclor 1254 exhibited health effects similar to those exposed to higher concentrations. Therefore, changes in expression of specific genes may serve not only as molecular bioindicators of Aroclor 1254 exposure but also as predictors of impending adverse health effects. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 40:24,35, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Histopathological alterations in the liver of the sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus from polluted aquatic systems in South AfricaENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2009M. J. Marchand Abstract There is a need for sensitive bio-monitoring tools in toxicant impact assessment to indicate the effect of toxicants on fish health in polluted aquatic ecosystems. Histopathological assessment of fish tissue allows for early warning signs of disease and detection of long-term injury in cells, tissues, or organs. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of histopathological alterations in the liver of C. gariepinus from two dams in an urban nature reserve, (Gauteng, South Africa). Two dams (Dam 1 and Dam 2) were chosen for their suspected levels of toxicants. Water and sediments were sampled for metal and potential endocrine disrupting chemical analysis. A quantitative and qualitative histology-based health assessment protocol was employed to determine the adverse health effects in fish. The analysis of blood constituents, fish necropsy, calculation of condition factors, and hepatosomatic indices were employed to support the findings of the qualitative and quantitative histological assessment of liver tissue. Assessment of the liver tissue revealed marked histopathological alterations including: structural alterations (hepatic cord disarray) affecting 27% of field specimens; plasma alterations (granular degeneration 98% and fatty degeneration 25%) of hepatocytes; an increase in melanomacrophage centers (32%); hepatocyte nuclear alterations (90%); and necrosis of liver tissue (14%). The quantitative histological assessment indicated that livers of fish collected from Dam 1 were more affected than the fish livers collected from Dam 2. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2009. [source] Effects of co-culture of amoebae with indoor microbes on their cytotoxic and proinflammatory potentialENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Terhi Yli-Pirilä Abstract Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous environmental protozoa found in both natural and man-made environments, including moisture-damaged buildings. Furthermore, the interaction between amoebae and bacteria has been shown to enhance the virulence and pathogenicity of some bacteria. While the inhabitants of moisture damaged buildings are known to be at risk of suffering adverse health effects, the exact causative agents and mechanisms are still obscure. To examine the possible role of amoebae in the health effects associated with moisture damages, the effects of amoebae on the cytotoxicity and proinflammatory potential of nonpathogenic microbes common in moisture-damaged buildings were investigated. First, two bacterial and three fungal strains were cultured both individually and in coculture with Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Then, mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to the cocultures as well as the individually grown bacteria, fungi, and amoebae. Finally, cell viability and production of proinflammatory mediators, i.e., nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor , (TNF-,), and interleukin 6 (IL-6), were measured in macrophages after the exposure. The results revealed that cocultivation with amoebae increased the cytotoxicity of the bacterium Streptomyces californicus and the fungus Penicillium spinulosum. Moreover, the macrophages produced up to 10 times higher concentrations of NO after the exposure to these cocultures than after the exposure to individually grown microbes. Finally, the production of the cytokines was up to two orders of magnitude higher (IL-6) and up to four times higher (TNF-,) after exposure to the cocultures when compared to individually grown microbes. We conclude that amoebae are able to potentiate the cytotoxicity and proinflammatory properties of certain microbes associated with moisture damages. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 357,367, 2007. [source] Cytotoxicity and oxidative stress caused by chemicals adsorbed on particulate matter,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Andrea Müller Abstract Air particulate matter (PM) and bound chemicals are potential mediators for adverse health effects. The cytotoxicity and changes in energy-providing processes caused by chemical compounds bound to PM of different size fractions were investigated in Tetrahymena pyriformis. The PM samplings were carried out using a high volume cascade impactor (6 size fractions between 10 ,m and less than 0.49 ,m) at three points of La Plata, Argentina: in an industrial area, a traffic-influenced urban area, and a control area. Extracts from respirable particles below 1 ,m initiated the highest cytotoxic effects, demonstrating their higher risk. In contrast, an increase on oxygen consumption was observed especially in tests of extracts from particles less than 1 ,m from urban and industrial areas. The increase on oxygen consumption could be caused by decoupling processes in the respiratory chain. Otherwise the ATP concentration was increased too, even though to a lower extent. The observed imbalance between oxygen consumption and ATP concentration in exposed T. pyriformis cells may be due to oxidative stress, caused by chemical compounds bound to the particles. Owing to the complexity of effects related to PM and their associated chemical compounds, various physiological parameters necessarily need to be investigated to obtain more information about their possible involvement in human relevant pathogenic processes. As shown here, effects on cell proliferation and on energy-providing processes are suitable indicators for the different impact of PM and adsorbed chemicals from various sampling locations. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 21: 457,463, 2006. [source] First report of saxitoxin in Finnish lakes and possible associated effects on human healthENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 3 2005Jarkko Rapala Abstract This study is the first report of saxitoxin in cyanobacterial blooms in Finland. Bloom samples (n = 50) were collected from Finnish freshwater sites during summer months of 2002 and 2003. These samples were screened for the presence of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) using the Jellett rapid PSP screening test. Samples testing positive for PSTs (n = 7) were further analyzed with saxiphilin- and voltage-gated sodium channel [3H]-STX,binding radioreceptor assays and liquid chromatography using fluorescence and mass spectrometric analysis. The results indicated that saxitoxin (STX) was the only PST analogue in the samples and that it was present in high concentrations, as much as 1 mg L,1. Microscopic analysis revealed that 95%,100% of the phytoplankton in the positive samples consisted of Anabaena lemmermannii. The trophic status of lakes in which STX-containing blooms were found varied from oligotrophic to hypertrophic. All the lakes had high nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios. In some instances, samples had been collected from sites where swimmers had reported adverse health effects, and in three such cases, reported adverse health effects were associated with sites from which samples testing positive for STX had been received. Symptoms of fever, eye irritation, abdominal pains, and skin rash were reported in children aged 2,10 years after exposure to the water. These were not the adverse human symptoms typical of STX poisoning; rather, they represented acute effects often reported following recreational exposure to cyanobacterial blooms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 331,340, 2005 [source] Were volatile organic compounds the inducing factors for subjective symptoms of employees working in newly constructed hospitals?ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Tomoko Takigawa Abstract This study demonstrated possible relationships between environmental, personal, and occupational factors and changes in the subjective health symptoms of 214 employees after the relocation of a hospital in a region of Japan. Eight indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in at least one of the 19 rooms investigated, and total VOC (TVOC) concentrations in 8 rooms exceeded the advisable value (400 ,g/m3) established by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Formaldehyde was detected in all the investigated rooms, but none of the results exceeded the guideline value (100 ,g/m3). Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to select variables significantly associated with the subjective symptoms that can be induced by sick building syndrome. The results showed that subjective symptoms of deterioration in the skin, eye, ear, throat, chest, central nervous system, autonomic system, musculoskeletal system, and digestive system among employees were associated mainly with gender difference and high TVOC concentrations (>1200 ,g/m3). Long work hours (>50 h per week) in females and smoking in males were to be blamed for the deterioration of their symptoms. The present findings suggest that to protect employees from indoor environment-related adverse health effects, it is necessary to reduce the concentration of indoor chemicals in new buildings, to decrease work hours, and to forbid smoking. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 19: 280,290, 2004. [source] Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington State, USA, reveal a combination of local and global polychlorinated biphenyl, dioxin, and furan signalsENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2004Peter S. Ross Abstract The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) can serve as a useful indicator of food web contamination by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) because of its high trophic level, wide distribution in temperate coastal waters of the Northern Hemisphere, and relative ease of capture. In 1996 through 1997, we live-captured 60 harbor seal pups from three regions, spanning remote (Queen Charlotte Strait, BC, Canada), moderately industrialized (Strait of Georgia, BC, Canada), and heavily industrialized (Puget Sound, WA, USA) marine basins straddling the Canada-United States border. Biopsy samples of blubber were taken and analyzed for congener-specific polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) by using high-resolution gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Harbor seals in Puget Sound were heavily contaminated with PCBs, whereas seals from the Strait of Georgia had relatively high concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs. Pattern evaluation and principal components analysis suggested that proximity to sources influenced the mixture to which seals were exposed, with those inhabiting more remote areas being exposed to lighter PCB congeners (those with lower Henry's law constant and KOW) that disperse more readily through atmospheric and other processes. Total toxic equivalents to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin for the PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs suggest that Puget Sound seals are at greatest risk for adverse health effects, and that PCBs represent the class of dioxinlike contaminants of greatest concern at all sites. [source] Exposure to the polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor® 1254 alters melanocyte and tail muscle morphology in developing Xenopus laevis tadpolesENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2003Marla A. Fisher Abstract Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that have damaging effects on both ecosystem and human health. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to PCBs can alter growth and development of aquatic organisms, including frogs. In this report, developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles were exposed to the PCB mixture Aroclor® 1254. Tadpoles were exposed from 5 through 9 d postfertilization to either 0, 1, 10, 50, or 100 ppm Aroclor 1254. Exposure to an acute, high concentration of Aroclor 1254 (10, 50, and 100 ppm) caused statistically significant reductions in survival and body size. In addition, tadpoles exposed to these higher concentrations showed histological abnormalities, including aberrant tail tip, myotomal, and melanocyte morphologies. Described adverse health effects associated with PCB exposure of developing frogs will serve as useful health endpoints in ongoing and future molecular-based studies that correlate health effects with changes in gene expression. [source] A missing values imputation method for time series data: an efficient method to investigate the health effects of sulphur dioxide levelsENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 2 2010Swarna Weerasinghe Abstract Environmental data contains lengthy records of sequential missing values. Practical problem arose in the analysis of adverse health effects of sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels and asthma hospital admissions for Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Reliable missing values imputation techniques are required to obtain valid estimates of the associations with sparse health outcomes such as asthma hospital admissions. In this paper, a new method that incorporates prediction errors to impute missing values is described using mean daily average sulphur dioxide levels following a stationary time series with a random error. Existing imputation methods failed to incorporate the prediction errors. An optimal method is developed by extending a between forecast method to include prediction errors. Validity and efficacy are demonstrated comparing the performances with the values that do not include prediction errors. The performances of the optimal method are demonstrated by increased validity and accuracy of the , coefficient of the Poisson regression model for the association with asthma hospital admissions. Visual inspection of the imputed values of sulphur dioxide levels with prediction errors demonstrated that the variation is better captured. The method is computationally simple and can be incorporated into the existing statistical software. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Evaluation of putative hazard tests under background risk heterogeneityENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 3 2009Yuan Liu Abstract In this paper, an evaluation of some tests for adverse health effects around fixed locations (putative hazard sites) is made. We address the situation where a heterogeneous background is included both in terms of correlated and uncorrelated heterogeneity (UH). In addition, we examine a set of tests for case event data (residential case addresses) including both distance and directional effects. The tests include distance and directional score tests (DIR), integrated intensity tests, the Besag & Newell (BES) test, and Kulldorff's focus clustering scan test. Monte Carlo power of the tests is evaluated and power curves are finally presented. Interesting results from this work include the lack of power found when correlated heterogeneity (CH) is present. This is not found with UH. The BES and Scan tests have lower power than the integrated intensity tests and score tests in general. The integrated intensity test demonstrates its omnibus ability to detect either distance or directional effects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Parental response to health risk information: experimental results on willingness-to-pay for safer infant milk formulaHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 5 2009Isabell Goldberg Abstract Enterobacter sakazakii, a pathogen that can be found in powdered infant milk formula, can cause adverse health effects on infants. Using Vickrey auction, this study examines parents' willingness to pay (WTP) for a quality assurance label on powdered infant milk formula. The influence of ambiguity with the incidence rate information and provision of safe-handling information on WTP are also evaluated using three experimental treatments. Our findings generally imply that parents significantly value a quality assurance label. The mean price premium parents are willing to pay for the safer and quality assurance labelled powdered infant milk formula ranges from 61 to 133 Eurocents per 100 grams (53,116% of the base price per 100 grams) depending on the treatment. While no ambiguity effects are generally found, provision of safe-handling information significantly reduced WTP to 39,69 Eurocents per 100 grams depending on the treatment. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Health effects of nanomaterials: A critical appraisal approach and research to practiceHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 3 2008Reynold Sequeira Background Researchers across the globe are studying health effects of various nanomaterials and nanostructures. Most of these studies are qualitative in nature and lack parallel research to compare and validate the reliability of the findings. Objective This research targets a critical appraisal of such clinical studies by first developing a suitable tool and then evaluating the quality of reporting of these trials. Methods The published articles were collected from a search of electronic databases and bibliographies of identified articles. A critical appraisal (ExpAI) suitable for assessment of such experimental studies was developed and the articles were appraised using this instrument. The main findings of the study were evaluated for their use in the development of new techniques for practice using a linguistic scale. Results Twenty-eight articles were found to satisfy the inclusion criteria adopted in this research. The methodological qualities of the published studies ranged from marginal to average. Conclusions Though the studies evaluated in this research have proven that nanoparticles do have adverse health effects, nanoparticles should not be discounted without exploring the possibility of using them to benefit companies and the general population. Reengineering should be considered while creating these new systems to overcome the health effects found by various studies. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Bioaccessibility studies of ferro-chromium alloy particles for a simulated inhalation scenario: A comparative study with the pure metals and stainless steelINTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2010Klara Midander Abstract The European product safety legislation, REACH, requires that companies that manufacture, import, or use chemicals demonstrate safe use and high level of protection of their products placed on the market from a human health and environmental perspective. This process involves detailed assessment of potential hazards for various toxicity endpoints induced by the use of chemicals with a minimum use of animal testing. Such an assessment requires thorough understanding of relevant exposure scenarios including material characteristics and intrinsic properties and how, for instance, physical and chemical properties change from the manufacturing phase, throughout use, to final disposal. Temporary or permanent adverse health effects induced by particles depend either on their shape or physical characteristics, and/or on chemical interactions with the particle surface upon human exposure. Potential adverse effects caused by the exposure of metal particles through the gastrointestinal system, the pulmonary system, or the skin, and their subsequent potential for particle dissolution and metal release in contact with biological media, show significant gaps of knowledge. In vitro bioaccessibility testing at conditions of relevance for different exposure scenarios, combined with the generation of a detailed understanding of intrinsic material properties and surface characteristics, are in this context a useful approach to address aspects of relevance for accurate risk and hazard assessment of chemicals, including metals and alloys and to avoid the use of in vivo testing. Alloys are essential engineering materials in all kinds of applications in society, but their potential adverse effects on human health and the environment are very seldom assessed. Alloys are treated in REACH as mixtures of their constituent elements, an approach highly inappropriate because intrinsic properties of alloys generally are totally different compared with their pure metal components. A large research effort was therefore conducted to generate quantitative bioaccessibility data for particles of ferro-chromium alloys compared with particles of the pure metals and stainless steel exposed at in vitro conditions in synthetic biological media of relevance for particle inhalation and ingestion. All results are presented combining bioaccessibility data with aspects of particle characteristics, surface composition, and barrier properties of surface oxides. Iron and chromium were the main elements released from ferro-chromium alloys upon exposure in synthetic biological media. Both elements revealed time-dependent release processes. One week exposures resulted in very small released particle fractions being less than 0.3% of the particle mass at acidic conditions and less than 0.001% in near pH-neutral media. The extent of Fe released from ferro-chromium alloy particles was significantly lower compared with particles of pure Fe, whereas Cr was released to a very low and similar extent as from particles of pure Cr and stainless steel. Low release rates are a result of a surface oxide with passive properties predominantly composed of chromium(III)-rich oxides and silica and, to a lesser extent, of iron(II,III)oxides. Neither the relative bulk alloy composition nor the surface composition can be used to predict or assess the extent of metals released in different synthetic biological media. Ferro-chromium alloys cannot be assessed from the behavior of their pure metal constituents. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:441,455. © 2009 SETAC [source] Riot control agents: pharmacology, toxicology, biochemistry and chemistry,JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 5 2001Eugene J. Olajos Abstract The desired effect of all riot control agents is the temporary disablement of individuals by way of intense irritation of the mucous membranes and skin. Generally, riot control agents can produce acute site-specific toxicity where sensory irritation occurs. Early riot control agents, namely, chloroacetophenone (CN) and chlorodihydrophenarsazine (DM), have been replaced with ,safer' agents such as o -chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS) and oleoresin of capsicum (OC). Riot control agents are safe when used as intended: however, the widespread use of riot control agents raises questions and concerns regarding their health effects and safety. A large margin exists between dosages that produce harassment and dosages likely to cause adverse health effects for modern riot control agents such as CS and dibenz[b,f]1 : 4-oxazepine (CR). Yet, despite the low toxicity of modern riot control agents, these compounds are not entirely without risk. The risk of toxicity increases with higher exposure levels and prolonged exposure durations. Ocular, pulmonary and dermal injury may occur on exposure to high levels of these substances, and exposure to riot control agents in enclosed spaces may produce significant toxic effects. Reported deaths are few involving riot control agents, and then only under conditions of prolonged exposure and high concentrations. Recently, concern has focused on the deaths resulting from law enforcement use of OC, a riot control agent generally regarded as safe because it is a natural product. As with other xenobiotics, not enough is known concerning the long-term/chronic effects of riot control agents. Clearly, there is considerable need for additional research to define and delineate the biological and toxicological actions of riot control agents and to illuminate the full health consequences of these compounds as riot control agents. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Relocated Citizens' Perceptions and Attitudes Regarding Indoor Application of Toxic Agricultural PesticidesJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2000Olurominiyi O. Ibitayo This study investigates the viewpoints of relocated citizens regarding the effects of relocation, perceptions of the potential hazards of indoor application of a toxic agricultural pesticide , methyl parathion , and the efficacy of the risk information emphasizing the adverse health effects of this inappropriate use of the pesticide. The surveyed citizens were those relocated because the levels of the pesticide contaminant in their homes were high. Despite the extensive information , through the mass media and face-to-face warnings and activities such as assessment of contamination levels, decontamination of homes and relocation , the respondents, regardless of race, consistently perceived relatively low levels of risks from the indoor application of methyl parathion. The disruption of family life, loss of peace of mind and the loss of contaminated property were the most mentioned problems caused by the relocation. In contrast to past research, the disruption of social ties or networks was hardly mentioned. The results of this study suggest that the perceived personal benefits of home-use of methyl parathion, and the voluntariness and controllability of exposure may have been the overriding factors of the respondents' risk perception, more than the clarity, content, consistency, and credibility of the risk information. The fact that the relocation was temporary must have contributed to the low level of importance attached by the respondents to the disruption of social ties as one of the adverse effects of the relocation. [source] Evaluation of hematological, chemistry and blood gas values in dogs receiving hemoglobin glutamer-200JOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue 1 2007DACVECC, DACVIM, Marie E. Kerl DVM Abstract Objective: To evaluate the degree of interference that administration of hemoglobin glutamer-200 (Hb-200) caused for complete blood counts (CBC), biochemical profiles, cooximetry, and point of care (POC) testing in healthy dogs. Design: Prospective, longitudinal experimental study. Setting: Veterinary medical teaching hospital. Animals: Six purpose-bred research hounds. Interventions: Dogs were administered FDA-approved hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (Hb-200) intravenously at 7.5 mL/kg over 2 hours. Arterial and venous blood samples were obtained before administration (Time 0) and at 3, 8, 14, 26, 50, 74, 98, 122, and 146 hours following administration. Measurements and main results: No adverse health effects were observed in any of the dogs. Characteristic mucous membrane, serum, and plasma color changes occurred following administration of Hb-200. Laboratory values that were significantly lower than baseline included packed cell volume, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, creatinine, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Laboratory values that were significantly greater than baseline included mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, arterial pH, arterial total carbon dioxide, arterial bicarbonate, amylase, albumin, total protein, globulin, calcium, phosphorous, total bilirubin, carboxyhemoglobin, and methemoglobin. All values returned to baseline by the completion of the 146-hour monitoring period. Conclusions: In normal dogs, administration of Hb-200 resulted in statistically significant changes in multiple laboratory parameters; however, these changes are not likely to be clinically significant in the care of critically ill dogs. [source] In vitro fungitoxic activity of Larrea divaricata cav. extractsLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004E.N. Quiroga Abstract Aims:, To evaluate the fungitoxic activity of Larrea divaricata Cav. extract and one of its components against yeasts and fungi. This activity was compared with the action of ketoconazole, a known synthetic antimycotic. Methods and Results:, Antifungal activity of Larrea divaricata extract and of a fraction (Fr. B) purified by thin layer chromatography, was investigated using different methodologies. Both exhibited strong activity against the majority of the assayed fungi. Only Fusarium oxysporum and Schizophyllum commune growth was not affected with the assayed conditions. The fungitoxic and cytotoxic activity of the ethanolic extract and ketoconazole were compared. Conclusions:, Ethanolic extracts of L. divaricata Cav. produce growth inhibition of several fungi. One of its constituents with the same activity was purified and identified as a glycoside of a flavanone. A comparison with the action of ketoconazole, which is currently used as antimycotic and can cause adverse health effects was made. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Our data suggest that L. divaricata extract contains, at least, one compound of phenolic nature, with fungitoxic potency against yeasts and fungi. [source] Swimming pool attendance and hay fever rates later in lifeALLERGY, Issue 11 2006Y. Kohlhammer Background:, Exposure to chlorination by-products through swimming pool attendance showed adverse health effects on children. The aim of our study was to assess whether pool attendance in childhood would be related to higher rates of allergic diseases in adulthood, with special regard to hay fever. Methods:, 2606 adults aged 35,74 years provided retrospectively collected information on swimming pool attendance and medical history, including data on atopic diseases. Information was assessed by a combination of a personal interview and a self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied to study associations between hay fever and swimming pool attendance, adjusted for potentially relevant confounders, such as age, gender, region, education and smoking. Results:, Higher rates of hay fever could be seen when frequently exposed at school age (aOR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.09,2.77), frequently exposed during the past 12 months (aOR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.92,1.89) and ever exposed (aOR: 1.65, 95% CI: 0.98,2.78). Strongest associations were found for the youngest subjects and were dose-related to the extent of current and school-age pool attendance. Conclusions:, Impaired integrity of the lung epithelial by exposure to chlorination by-products might facilitate a closer contact to allergens and therefore could result in higher rates of hay fever. [source] Moving Toward a Plant-based Diet: Are Iron and Zinc at Risk?NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 5 2002Janet R. Hunt Ph.D. With reduced intake of meat and increased intake of phytate-containing legumes and whole grains, movement toward plant-based diets reduces dietary iron and zinc absorption. Although vegetarians have lower iron stores, adverse health effects of lower iron and zinc absorption have not been demonstrated with varied, plant-based diets consumed in developed countries. Improved assessment methods and monitoring are needed to detect and prevent possible iron and zinc deficiency with plant-based diets. [source] Mass transport studies of different additives in polyamide and exfoliated nanocomposite polyamide films for food industryPACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010David Antonio Pereira de Abreu Abstract The development of new food packaging films through the incorporation of nanoparticles, and the effect of the nanoparticles on the process of migration of the substances used in manufacturing the new films is expected to lead to an improvement in the shelf life of food and thus, consumer safety and health. In recent years, attention has focused on nanocomposites because these compounds often exhibit unexpected hybrid properties derived from synergistic reactions between nanoparticles and the polymeric matrix. The exfoliation of nanoclays in polyamide film provides a film with better barrier properties than that obtained through the intercalation of nanoclays. Migration of chemicals from food packaging into food may produce potential adverse health effects because of exposure to toxic compounds. The present study addressed the migration of caprolactam, 5-Chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol (triclosan) and trans,trans-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene (DPBD) from polyamide and polyamide-nanoclays to different types of food simulants. The values for limit of detection (LOD) obtained for caprolactam, triclosan and DPBD was 0.5,mg/L, 0.02,mg/L and 0.01,mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, instrumental precision was evaluated through repeatability injections, resulting in relative standard deviations lower than 3.08%. Diffusion coefficients were calculated according to a mathematical model based on Fick's Second Law, and the results were discussed in terms of the parameters that may have the greatest effect on migration. The presence of polymer nanoparticles was found to slow down the rate of migration of substances from the matrix polymer into the food up to six times. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Occupational obstructive airway diseases caused by the natural gas odorant tetrahydrothiophene,two case reports,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009X. Baur MD Abstract Background Tetrahydrothiophene (THT) is frequently used to odorize natural (city) gas. Only sparse data on adverse health effects of THT on humans are available. Methods We performed a literature search and clinical investigations including case history and cardiopulmonary diagnostic tests in two symptomatic THT-exposed outpatients. Results The two THT-exposed city workers developed transient neurologic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headaches, as well as skin and mucosa irritation, chronic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arterial hypertension, and cardiac arrhythmia. The neurological symptoms and respiratory disorders were found to be caused by intermittently high THT exposures. In favor of a causal relationship were severe work-related neurological and respiratory symptoms in previously healthy workers, results of animal experiments, and another report with very similar findings in the literature. The etiology of arterial hypertension and cardiac arrhythmia, however, remains unclear. Conclusions Our two case reports demonstrate that repeated high THT-exposures can,in addition to neurotoxic symptoms,elicit chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We recommend improved primary and secondary preventive measures, including the establishment of a TLV. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:982,986, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Exposures associated with serum organochlorine levels among postmenopausal women from Western New York stateAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2002Kirsten B. Moysich PhD Abstract Background Organochlorines, such as 2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) are lipophilic compounds that are ubiquitous in the environment and may cause adverse health effects in humans. Methods We examined the correlation between epidemiological exposure variables and serum DDE, PCB, and HCB levels in a sample of 192 healthy, female postmenopausal western New York residents; a subset of the control group from a case,control study on breast cancer risk. Usual diet, reproductive and medical histories, and other lifestyle information were obtained by an extensive in person interview. Serum levels (ng/g) of DDE, HCB, and 69 PCB congeners were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Statistical analyses included computations of crude and age and lipid adjusted correlation coefficients, as well as multiple linear regression analysis. Results Results indicated that the strongest predictors for serum DDE levels were age, serum lipids, parity, and fruit and dairy consumption. Statistically significant predictors of PCB levels included age, serum lipids, parity, and fish consumption. Serum HCB levels were related to age, serum lipids, and fruit and red meat consumption. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with previous investigations that reported strong associations between organochlorine levels and age and serum lipids. The absence of other data showing an association between fruit intake and organochlorine levels make the importance of this finding unclear. Am. J. Ind. Med. 41:102,110, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Prevalence of cigarette smoking by occupation and industry in the United States,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2001Ki Moon Bang PhD Abstract Background This study was undertaken to estimate the most recent prevalence of cigarette smoking by occupation and industry in the US, using the data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988,1994. Methods Included in NHANES III are data on the cigarette smoking status, occupation, industry, and other demographic information of US non-institutionalized civilians obtained through household interview surveys. The study population included 20,032 adults aged 17 years and older. To estimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking across occupation and industry groups, we used the Survey Data Analysis (SUDAAN) software. Results The prevalence of cigarette smoking was highest among material moving occupations, construction laborers, and vehicle mechanics and repairers. The lowest smoking prevalence was found among teachers. Among industry groups, the construction industry had the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking. Conclusions These findings provide information useful for targeting education activities focusing on adverse health effects of cigarette smoking and also for indirect adjustments in analysis of morbidity and mortality by occupation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:233,239, 2001. Published 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||