There is increasing concern about the potential effects of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) on the developing brain. The impact of TRAP exposure on childhood behavior is not fully understood due to limited epidemiologic studies. The objective of the study was to explore the association between early life exposure to TRAP using the surrogate, elemental carbon attributed to traffic (ECAT), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms at age seven.

Few studies have investigated the independent health effects of different size fractions of particulate matter (PM), in multiple locations, especially in Europe. The researchers estimated the short-term effects of PM with aerodynamic diameter less than 10μm (PM10), less than 2.5μm (PM2.5), and between 2.5 and 10μm (PM2.5-10) on all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality in 10 European Mediterranean metropolitan areas within the MED-PARTICLES project.

On July 10, 1976, a chemical explosion in Seveso, Italy, resulted in the highest known residential exposure to TCDD. Using data from the Seveso Women’s Health Study (SWHS), a cohort study of the health of the women, the researchers examined the relation of serum TCDD to diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity over 30 years later.

Arsenic-based drugs are permitted in poultry production. Inorganic arsenic (iAs) causes cancer and maybe other adverse health outcomes. The contribution of chicken consumption to iAs intake, however, is unknown. The objective of the study is to characterize arsenic species profile in chicken meat and estimate bladder and lung cancer risk associated with consuming chicken produced with arsenic-based drugs.

Original Source

Prospective studies that evaluate the influence of arsenic methylation capacity on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk are lacking. The objective of the study is to evaluate the association of arsenic exposure from drinking water and arsenic methylation capacity with CVD risk..

In many parts of the world, livestock production is undergoing a process of rapid intensification. The health implications of this development are uncertain. Intensification creates cheaper products, allowing more people to access animal-based foods. However, some practices associated with intensification may contribute to zoonotic disease emergence and spread, for example the sustained use of antibiotics, concentration of animals in confined units, and long distance and frequent movement of livestock.

Ambient air pollution may have neurotoxic effects in children. Data examining associations between traffic-related air pollution and attention domains remain sparse. The researchers examined associations between black carbon (BC), a marker of traffic particles, and attention measures ascertained at age 7-14 years among 174 children in a Boston-based birth cohort.

The researchers measured lead and eight other metals in a convenience sample of 32 lip products used by young Asian women in Oakland, California, USA, and assessed potential health risks related to estimated intakes of these metals.

Original Source

Serum levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been associated with decreased renal function in cross-sectional analyses, but the direction of the association is unclear. The researchers examined the association of measured and model-predicted serum PFOA concentrations with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a marker of kidney function, in a highly exposed population (median serum PFOA, 28.3 ng/mL).

Globally, solid fuels are used by about 3 billion people for cooking. These fuels have been associated with many health effects, including acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children. Nepal has a high prevalence of use of biomass for cooking and heating. This case–control study was conducted among a population in the Bhaktapur municipality, Nepal, to investigate the relationship of cookfuel type to ALRI in young children.