The objective of this study was to use data collected by Gonoshasthaya Kendra, a large nongovernmental organization providing health care to some 600 villages, to describe the epidemiological pattern of stillbirth and any additional contribution made by arsenic contamination of hand-pump wells in Bangladesh. March 2008

Ultrafine particles (UFP) may contribute to the cardiovascular effects of exposure to particulate air pollution, partly because of their relatively efficient alveolar deposition and potential to enter the pulmonary vascular space. This study tested the hypothesis that inhalation of elemental carbon UFP alters systemic vascular function. March 2008

Benzene is a human carcinogen. Exposure to benzene occurs in occupational and environmental settings. The researcher evaluated data from a cohort of 1,845 rubber hydrochloride workers. Benzene exposure

Over the past decade there has been mounting evidence that ambient air pollution during pregnancy influences fetal growth. This study was designed to examine possible associations between fetal ultrasonic measurements collected from 15,623 scans (13

Low-level developmental lead exposure is linked to cognitive and neurological disorders in children. However, the long-term effects of gestational lead exposure (GLE) have received little attention. The goal of the research was to establish a murine model of human equivalent GLE and to determine dose

Research indicate that developmental exposures to apparently nontoxic doses of DZN compromise neural cell development and alter ACh synaptic function in adolescence and adulthood. The patterns seen here differ substantially from those seen in earlier work with chlorpyrifos, reinforcing the concept that the various organophosphates have fundamentally different effects on the developmental trajectories of specific neurotransmitter systems, unrelated to their shared action as cholinesterase inhibitors. March 2008

Indian state of Punjab is increasingly under focus for the increasingly incidence of cancer mortality as well as indiscriminate use of pesticides in agricultural practices. This study investigates cancer mortality, and its correlations with numerous variables, including demographic characteristics, cropping pattern and pesticide residues in soil and water.

An increasing number of people are exposed to aircraft and road traffic noise. Hypertension is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and even a small contribution in risk from environmental factors may have a major impact on public health. The HYENA (Hypertension and Exposure to Noise near Airports) study aimed to assess the relations between noise from aircraft or road traffic near airports and the risk of hypertension. March 2008

This new State of Science Review by The Organic Center on pesticide residues and risk provides answers to frequently asked questions about relatively-high risk foods, as well as foods that pose no or modest dietary risks. Their findings are encouraging.

In this population-based study the researchers aimed to elucidate the effect of nutrition on As methylation among women in Matlab, Bangladesh, where people are chronically exposed to iAs via drinking water. March 2008

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