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Boyles AL, Beverly BE, Fenton SE, Jackson CL, Jukic AMZ, Sutherland VL, Baird DD, Collman GW, Dixon D, Ferguson KK, Hall JE, Martin EM, Schug TT, White AJ, Chandler KJ. Environmental Factors Involved in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2021; 30:245-252. [PMID: 33211615 PMCID: PMC7891208 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nongenetic, environmental factors contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality through chemical exposures via air, water, soil, food, and consumer products. Pregnancy represents a particularly sensitive window of susceptibility during which physiological changes to every major organ system increase sensitivity to chemicals that can impact a woman's long-term health. Nonchemical stressors, such as low socioeconomic status, may exacerbate the effects of chemical exposures on maternal health. Racial/ethnic minorities are exposed disproportionately to both chemicals and nonchemical stressors, which likely contribute to the observed health disparities for maternal morbidities and mortality. Epidemiological studies linking exposures to adverse maternal health outcomes underscore the importance of environmental health impacts, and mechanistic studies in model systems reveal how chemicals perturb biological pathways and processes. Environmental stressors are associated with a variety of immediate maternal health impacts, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, fibroids, and infertility, as well as long-term maternal health impacts, such as higher risk of breast cancer and metabolic disorders. Identifying and reducing a pregnant woman's environmental exposures is not only beneficial to her offspring but also important to preserve her short- and long-term health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abee L. Boyles
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandiese E. Beverly
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne E. Fenton
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chandra L. Jackson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Intramural Program, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anne Marie Z. Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vicki L. Sutherland
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Donna D. Baird
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W. Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darlene Dixon
- National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly K. Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E. Hall
- Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Martin
- Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Training Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thaddeus T. Schug
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexandra J. White
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly J. Chandler
- Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Newman JD, Bhatt DL, Rajagopalan S, Balmes JR, Brauer M, Breysse PN, Brown AGM, Carnethon MR, Cascio WE, Collman GW, Fine LJ, Hansel NN, Hernandez A, Hochman JS, Jerrett M, Joubert BR, Kaufman JD, Malik AO, Mensah GA, Newby DE, Peel JL, Siegel J, Siscovick D, Thompson BL, Zhang J, Brook RD. Cardiopulmonary Impact of Particulate Air Pollution in High-Risk Populations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020; 76:2878-2894. [PMID: 33303078 PMCID: PMC8040922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Fine particulate air pollution <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) is a major environmental threat to global public health. Multiple national and international medical and governmental organizations have recognized PM2.5 as a risk factor for cardiopulmonary diseases. A growing body of evidence indicates that several personal-level approaches that reduce exposures to PM2.5 can lead to improvements in health endpoints. Novel and forward-thinking strategies including randomized clinical trials are important to validate key aspects (e.g., feasibility, efficacy, health benefits, risks, burden, costs) of the various protective interventions, in particular among real-world susceptible and vulnerable populations. This paper summarizes the discussions and conclusions from an expert workshop, Reducing the Cardiopulmonary Impact of Particulate Matter Air Pollution in High Risk Populations, held on May 29 to 30, 2019, and convened by the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Newman
- Division of Cardiology and the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Deepak L Bhatt
- Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart and Vascular Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. https://twitter.com/DLBhattMD
| | - Sanjay Rajagopalan
- Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - John R Balmes
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael Brauer
- School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patrick N Breysse
- National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alison G M Brown
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mercedes R Carnethon
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Wayne E Cascio
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W Collman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lawrence J Fine
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nadia N Hansel
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adrian Hernandez
- Clinical Research, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Judith S Hochman
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael Jerrett
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bonnie R Joubert
- Population Health Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joel D Kaufman
- Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, Medicine, and Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ali O Malik
- Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - George A Mensah
- Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David E Newby
- British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer L Peel
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jeffrey Siegel
- Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Siscovick
- Division of Research, Evaluation, and Policy, The New York Academy of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Betsy L Thompson
- Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Junfeng Zhang
- Nicholas School of the Environment & Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Robert D Brook
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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3
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Kwok RK, Berridge BR, Bucher JR, Collman GW, Hall JE, Jacobson ME, Long WC, Miller AK, Miller MF, Woychik RP, Zeldin DC. The Distinguished Legacy of Linda S. Birnbaum, an Environmental Health Champion. Environ Health Perspect 2019; 127:101001. [PMID: 31638836 PMCID: PMC6910772 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Richard K Kwok
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brian R Berridge
- Division of National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - John R Bucher
- Division of National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E Hall
- Clinical Research Branch, Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS, NIH, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mary E Jacobson
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - W Chris Long
- Office of Management, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aubrey K Miller
- Office of the Director, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark F Miller
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rick P Woychik
- Office of the Deputy Director, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darryl C Zeldin
- Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Collman GW, Berridge BR, Hall JE, Woychik R, Zeldin DC, Birnbaum LS. NIEHS: Making a Mark on Translational Research Science. Environ Health Perspect 2018; 126:081001. [PMID: 30073951 PMCID: PMC6108839 DOI: 10.1289/ehp4075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gwen W Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brian R Berridge
- Division of National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E Hall
- Division of Intramural Research, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rick Woychik
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Darryl C Zeldin
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Linda S Birnbaum
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Pettibone KG, Balshaw DM, Dilworth C, Drew CH, Hall JE, Heacock M, Latoni AR, McAllister KA, O'Fallon LR, Thompson C, Walker NJ, Wolfe MS, Wright DS, Collman GW. Expanding the Concept of Translational Research: Making a Place for Environmental Health Sciences. Environ Health Perspect 2018; 126:074501. [PMID: 30024381 PMCID: PMC6108854 DOI: 10.1289/ehp3657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) introduces a new translational research framework that builds upon previous biomedical models to create a more comprehensive and integrated environmental health paradigm. The framework was developed as a graphical construct that illustrates the complexity of designing, implementing, and tracking translational research in environmental health. We conceptualize translational research as a series of concentric rings and nodes, defining "translation" as movement either from one ring to another or between nodes on a ring. A "Fundamental Questions" ring expands upon the research described in other frameworks as "basic" to include three interrelated concepts critical to basic science research: research questions, experimental settings, and organisms. This feature enables us to capture more granularity and thus facilitates an approach for categorizing translational research and its growth over time. We anticipate that the framework will help researchers develop compelling long-term translational research stories and accelerate public health impacts by clearly mapping out opportunities for collaborations. By using this paradigm, researchers everywhere will be better positioned to design research programs, identify research partners based on cross-disciplinary research needs, identify stakeholders who are likely to use the research for environmental decision-making and intervention, and track progress toward common goals. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3657.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristianna G Pettibone
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - David M Balshaw
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Caroline Dilworth
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christina H Drew
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Janet E Hall
- Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michelle Heacock
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alfonso R Latoni
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kimberly A McAllister
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Liam R O'Fallon
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Claudia Thompson
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nigel J Walker
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mary S Wolfe
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Demia S Wright
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Johnson CH, Athersuch TJ, Collman GW, Dhungana S, Grant DF, Jones DP, Patel CJ, Vasiliou V. Yale school of public health symposium on lifetime exposures and human health: the exposome; summary and future reflections. Hum Genomics 2017; 11:32. [PMID: 29221465 PMCID: PMC5723043 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-017-0128-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The exposome is defined as "the totality of environmental exposures encountered from birth to death" and was developed to address the need for comprehensive environmental exposure assessment to better understand disease etiology. Due to the complexity of the exposome, significant efforts have been made to develop technologies for longitudinal, internal and external exposure monitoring, and bioinformatics to integrate and analyze datasets generated. Our objectives were to bring together leaders in the field of exposomics, at a recent Symposium on "Lifetime Exposures and Human Health: The Exposome," held at Yale School of Public Health. Our aim was to highlight the most recent technological advancements for measurement of the exposome, bioinformatics development, current limitations, and future needs in environmental health. In the discussions, an emphasis was placed on moving away from a one-chemical one-health outcome model toward a new paradigm of monitoring the totality of exposures that individuals may experience over their lifetime. This is critical to better understand the underlying biological impact on human health, particularly during windows of susceptibility. Recent advancements in metabolomics and bioinformatics are driving the field forward in biomonitoring and understanding the biological impact, and the technological and logistical challenges involved in the analyses were highlighted. In conclusion, further developments and support are needed for large-scale biomonitoring and management of big data, standardization for exposure and data analyses, bioinformatics tools for co-exposure or mixture analyses, and methods for data sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline H. Johnson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT USA
| | - Toby J. Athersuch
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College Norfolk Place, London, UK
| | - Gwen W. Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Morrisville, NC USA
| | - Suraj Dhungana
- Waters Corporation, Metabolomics and Translational Research, Milford, MA USA
| | - David F. Grant
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT USA
| | - Dean P. Jones
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Chirag J. Patel
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Vasilis Vasiliou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT USA
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Cui Y, Balshaw DM, Kwok RK, Thompson CL, Collman GW, Birnbaum LS. The Exposome: Embracing the Complexity for Discovery in Environmental Health. Environ Health Perspect 2016; 124:A137-40. [PMID: 27479988 PMCID: PMC4977033 DOI: 10.1289/ehp412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposures are ubiquitous and play a fundamental role in the development of complex human diseases. The exposome, which is defined as the totality of environmental exposures over the life course, allows for systematic evaluation of the relationship between exposures and associated biological consequences, and represents a powerful approach for discovery in environmental health research. However, implementing the exposome concept is challenged by the ability to accurately assess multiple exposures and the ability to integrate information across the exposure–disease continuum. On 14–15 January 2015, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) held the Exposome Workshop where a group of international and U.S. scientists from different disciplines gathered to review the state of the science in research areas related to the exposome and to provide recommendations for incorporating the exposome concept into each research area. To move the field forward, the NIEHS is establishing a Children’s Health Exposure Analysis Resource (CHEAR) to provide infrastructure support for access to laboratory and statistical analyses to children’s health studies. It is recognized that incorporating the exposome concept into exposure and environmental health research will be a long journey and will require significant collaborative efforts from different scientific disciplines, nations, and stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxia Cui
- Exposure, Response, and Technology Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - David M. Balshaw
- Exposure, Response, and Technology Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Address correspondence to D.M. Balshaw, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, P.O. Box 12233, Mail Drop K3-04, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA. Telephone: (919) 541-2448.
| | - Richard K. Kwok
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Claudia L. Thompson
- Population Health Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gwen W. Collman
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Linda S. Birnbaum
- Office of the Director, NIEHS, NIH, DHHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Forman MR, Winn DM, Collman GW, Rizzo J, Birnbaum LS. Environmental exposures, breast development and cancer risk: Through the looking glass of breast cancer prevention. Reprod Toxicol 2014; 54:6-10. [PMID: 25499721 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2014.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the report entitled: Breast Cancer and the Environment: Prioritizing Prevention, highlights research gaps and the importance of focusing on early life exposures for breast development and breast cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Deborah M Winn
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Gwen W Collman
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States
| | - Jeanne Rizzo
- Breast Cancer Fund, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States
| | - Linda S Birnbaum
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States
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Collman GW. Community-based approaches to environmental health research around the globe. Rev Environ Health 2014; 29:125-128. [PMID: 24646789 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2014-0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A community-engaged approach to environmental health research incorporates input and knowledge from members of a community and other stakeholders who are affected by an environmental health issue. Bringing the community voice to public health research and practice can increase the potential for translating research findings into sustainable changes and policies that can reduce exposure to environmental chemicals and other agents in order to protect children's health around the world.
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Birnbaum LS, Bucher JR, Collman GW, Zeldin DC, Johnson AF, Schug TT, Heindel JJ. Consortium-based science: the NIEHS's multipronged, collaborative approach to assessing the health effects of bisphenol A. Environ Health Perspect 2012; 120:1640-4. [PMID: 23052487 PMCID: PMC3548284 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1205330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic and is found in many consumer products. Some studies using animal models have suggested that BPA exposures may have adverse health effects. However, research gaps have precluded a full understanding of the effects of BPA in humans and engendered controversies surrounding the chemical's potential toxicity. OBJECTIVES The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Toxicology Program (NTP) have developed an integrated, multipronged, consortium-based approach to optimize BPA-focused research investments to more effectively address data gaps and inform decision making. DISCUSSION NIEHS/NTP BPA research investments made over the past 4 years include extramural research grants, establishment of a BPA Grantee Consortium, intramural research activities on BPA's mechanisms of action, the launch of two clinical studies and an occupational study, development of a round-robin experiment to validate BPA measurements in human serum, and, in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), formation of a consortium to design and execute a chronic toxicity study of BPA in rats. The NIEHS's new consortium-based approach has led to more integrated, collaborative efforts and should improve our ability to resolve controversies over the potential human health effects of exposures to low levels of endocrine-active agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda S Birnbaum
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 , USA.
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Drew CH, Pettibone KG, O'Fallon LR, Collman GW, Birnbaum LS. Measuring partnership activities: partnerships in environmental public health evaluation metrics manual. Environ Health Perspect 2012; 120:a261-2. [PMID: 22759358 PMCID: PMC3404686 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1205512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
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Baron S, Sinclair R, Payne-Sturges D, Phelps J, Zenick H, Collman GW, O'Fallon LR. Partnerships for environmental and occupational justice: contributions to research, capacity and public health. Am J Public Health 2009; 99 Suppl 3:S517-25. [PMID: 19890151 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2009.174557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
In 1994, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) initiated a program to address communication gaps between community residents, researchers and health care providers in the context of disproportionate environmental exposures. Over 13 years, together with the Environmental Protection Agency and National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, NIEHS funded 54 environmental justice projects. Here we examine the methods used and outcomes produced based on data gathered from summaries submitted for annual grantees' meetings. Data highlight how projects fulfilled program objectives of improving community awareness and capacity and the positive public health and public policy outcomes achieved. Our findings underscore the importance of community participation in developing effective, culturally sensitive interventions and emphasize the importance of systematic program planning and evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Baron
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4676 Columbia Parkway, R-17, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
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Golub MS, Collman GW, Foster PMD, Kimmel CA, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Reiter EO, Sharpe RM, Skakkebaek NE, Toppari J. Public health implications of altered puberty timing. Pediatrics 2008; 121 Suppl 3:S218-30. [PMID: 18245514 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-1813g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 312] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in puberty timing have implications for the treatment of individual children, for the risk of later adult disease, and for chemical testing and risk assessment for the population. Children with early puberty are at a risk for accelerated skeletal maturation and short adult height, early sexual debut, potential sexual abuse, and psychosocial difficulties. Altered puberty timing is also of concern for the development of reproductive tract cancers later in life. For example, an early age of menarche is a risk factor for breast cancer. A low age at male puberty is associated with an increased risk for testicular cancer according to several, but not all, epidemiologic studies. Girls and, possibly, boys who exhibit premature adrenarche are at a higher risk for developing features of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in adulthood. Altered timing of puberty also has implications for behavioral disorders. For example, an early maturation is associated with a greater incidence of conduct and behavior disorders during adolescence. Finally, altered puberty timing is considered an adverse effect in reproductive toxicity risk assessment for chemicals. Recent US legislation has mandated improved chemical testing approaches for protecting children's health and screening for endocrine-disrupting agents, which has led to changes in the US Environmental Protection Agency's risk assessment and toxicity testing guidelines to include puberty-related assessments and to the validation of pubertal male and female rat assays for endocrine screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari S Golub
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Abstract
In recent years there have been a significant number of publications on the benefits and challenges of community-based participatory research (CBPR). In this introduction we give an overview of three projects presented in this mini-monograph and highlight their commonalities and differences in developing community-university partnerships. While the studies presented here were not required to use CBPR strategies in their work, they did engage community members in a participatory manner. In this mini-monograph we examine how these multifaceted research questions are addressed while simultaneously negotiating complex relationships among researchers and communities as they strive for a more equitable partnership--not only in the distribution of resources but also in power/authority, the process of research, and its outcome. The three papers in this mini-monograph offer insights into various ways of forming, working, and sustaining community-university partnerships in conducting CBPR. They illustrate both the potential benefits and some of the challenges involved with establishing partnerships between community groups and researchers committed to the mutual goal of promoting environmental health. They suggest the importance of nonprescriptive frameworks for conducting community-based participatory research that focuses on more equitable power relationships to address health disparities to help alleviate environmental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobha Srinivasan
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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Kimmel CA, Collman GW, Fields N, Eskenazi B. Lessons learned for the National Children's Study from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research. Environ Health Perspect 2005; 113:1414-8. [PMID: 16203257 PMCID: PMC1281290 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.7669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
This mini-monograph was developed to highlight the experiences of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research, focusing particularly on several areas of interest for the National Children's Study. These include general methodologic issues for conducting longitudinal birth cohort studies and community-based participatory research and for measuring air pollution exposures, pesticide exposures, asthma, and neurobehavioral toxicity. Rather than a detailed description of the studies in each of the centers, this series of articles is intended to provide information on the practicalities of conducting such intensive studies and the lessons learned. This explication of lessons learned provides an outstanding opportunity for the planners of the National Children's Study to draw on past experiences that provide information on what has and has not worked when studying diverse multiracial and multiethnic groups of children with unique urban and rural exposures. The Children's Centers have addressed and overcome many hurdles in their efforts to understand the link between environmental exposures and health outcomes as well as interactions between exposures and a variety of social and cultural factors. Some of the major lessons learned include the critical importance of long-term studies for assessing the full range of developmental consequences of environmental exposures, recognition of the unique challenges presented at different life stages for both outcome and exposure measurement, and the importance of ethical issues that must be dealt with in a changing medical and legal environment. It is hoped that these articles will be of value to others who are embarking on studies of children's environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole A Kimmel
- National Children's Study Interagency Coordinating Committee, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA
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Branum AM, Collman GW, Correa A, Keim SA, Kessel W, Kimmel CA, Klebanoff MA, Longnecker MP, Mendola P, Rigas M, Selevan SG, Scheidt PC, Schoendorf K, Smith-Khuri E, Yeargin-Allsopp M. The National Children's Study of environmental effects on child health and development. Environ Health Perspect 2003; 111:642-6. [PMID: 12676629 PMCID: PMC1241458 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.111-1241458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Increasing recognition that children may be more susceptible than adults to environmental exposures and that they experience potentially life-long consequences of such exposures has led to widespread support for a large new cohort study in the United States. In this article, we propose a framework for a new cohort study of children, with follow-up beginning before birth and continuing to age 21 years. We also describe the administrative structure that has been built to develop the proposal further. The structure includes a partnership between federal and nonfederal scientists and relies on a collaborative, interdisciplinary research effort of unprecedented scale in medical research. We discuss briefly how the proposed cohort could be used to examine, among many other things, the effect of chemical contaminants in breast milk on children's health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Branum
- Infant and Child Health Studies Branch, National Center for Health Studies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, MD, USA
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Gammon MD, Neugut AI, Santella RM, Teitelbaum SL, Britton JA, Terry MB, Eng SM, Wolff MS, Stellman SD, Kabat GC, Levin B, Bradlow HL, Hatch M, Beyea J, Camann D, Trent M, Senie RT, Garbowski GC, Maffeo C, Montalvan P, Berkowitz GS, Kemeny M, Citron M, Schnabe F, Schuss A, Hajdu S, Vincguerra V, Collman GW, Obrams GI. The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project: description of a multi-institutional collaboration to identify environmental risk factors for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2002; 74:235-54. [PMID: 12206514 DOI: 10.1023/a:1016387020854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project is a federally mandated, population-based case-control study to determine whether breast cancer risk among women in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, NY, is associated with selected environmental exposures, assessed by blood samples, self-reports, and environmental home samples. This report describes the collaborative project's background, rationale, methods, participation rates, and distributions of known risk factors for breast cancer by case-control status, by blood donation, and by availability of environmental home samples. Interview response rates among eligible cases and controls were 82.1% (n = 1,508) and 62.8% (n = 1,556), respectively. Among case and control respondents who completed the interviewer-administered questionnaire, 98.2 and 97.6% self-completed the food frequency questionnaire; 73.0 and 73.3% donated a blood sample; and 93.0 and 83.3% donated a urine sample. Among a random sample of case and control respondents who are long-term residents, samples of dust (83.6 and 83.0%); soil (93.5 and 89.7%); and water (94.3 and 93.9%) were collected. Established risk factors for breast cancer that were found to increase risk among Long Island women include lower parity, late age at first birth, little or no breast feeding, and family history of breast cancer. Factors that were found to be associated with a decreased likelihood that a respondent would donate blood include increasing age and past smoking; factors associated with an increased probability include white or other race, alcohol use, ever breastfed, ever use of hormone replacement therapy, ever use of oral contraceptives, and ever had a mammogram. Long-term residents (defined as 15+ years in the interview home) with environmental home samples did not differ from other long-term residents, although there were a number of differences in risk factor distributions between long-term residents and other participants, as anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilie D Gammon
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7400, USA.
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Abstract
Recent discoveries in molecular biology and genetics have made it possible for environmental health researchers to examine how genetic characteristics affect response to environmental exposures. Understanding such gene-environment interactions offers exciting possibilities for the prevention and control of environmentally induced diseases. Despite these potential benefits, the collection and analysis of genetic information in environmental health research presents many of the same ethical, legal, and social (ELSI) challenges found in other types of genetic research. In this article, we describe a number of ELSI challenges in environmental genomic research and the opportunities and responsibilities that accompany this research.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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O'Fallon LR, Collman GW, Dearry A. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences' research program on children's environmental health. J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2000; 10:630-7. [PMID: 11138655 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
This article highlights the wide array of research programs supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) that address issues related to children's environmental health. Special attention is given to the interagency, collaborative Centers for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research program. A brief description of each of the eight centers highlights scientific foci and research efforts to date. In addition to discussing NIEHS-supported research programs, the article emphasizes the NIEHS' commitment to the promotion of translating basic research findings into public health knowledge so that culturally sensitive and applicable interventions may be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L R O'Fallon
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
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Dearry AD, Collman GW, Saint C, Fields N, Redd S. Building a network of research in children's environmental health. Environ Health Perspect 1999; 107 Suppl 3:391-2. [PMID: 10346987 PMCID: PMC1566218 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.99107s3391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A D Dearry
- Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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Abstract
Because the human population is biologically diverse and genetically heterogeneous, it is not surprising that differences in susceptibility to disease among individuals with or without exposure to environmental agents exist. Individuals vary greatly in their susceptibility to disease. This is true of adults and children. The etiologies of many diseases of childhood are due to a combination of factors, including genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures during vulnerable periods of development. Genes regulate cellular growth and development, DNA replication and repair, the metabolism of endogenous agents in the body, and the metabolism and excretion of exogenous agents that the body comes in contact with in the environment. This regulation varies over the life span, contributing to the cellular consequences of the environmental exposures. This paper summarizes the contributions of genetics in understanding the etiology of environmentally induced diseases in children. The use of biomarkers of genetic susceptibility in the study of these diseases will be discussed. Future research needs for expanding our knowledge of the interactions between genetic and environmental components of childhood diseases will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- W A Suk
- Office of Program Development, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA.
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Abstract
Breast cancer has long been associated with reproductive hormone exposures. Recently, greater attention has been focused on environmental exposures that may be responsible for some proportion of breast cancer incidence. Several etiologic aspects are discussed. A number of chemicals induce breast cancer in rodents--including solvents, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons--and these might serve as leads for studies in humans. In women, strong links have been established between breast cancer risk and ionizing radiation. Evidence for nonionizing radiation (electromagnetic field) exposures and breast cancer is suggestive, albeit limited. Occupational exposures have not been identified as breast cancer risks, but several associations need further study, including solvents and pesticides. Time of life when exposures take place is important, and this claim is strongly supported by data on cigarette smoking and radiation. Also, basic research has demonstrated that mammary tissue is more susceptible to carcinogenesis at certain periods of breast development. Likewise, prenatal, neonatal, and adolescent exposures deserve continuing attention. Research on etiology of breast cancer should measure environmental exposures and take into account the time of life at which these occur. Complex interactions between exogenous and endogenous carcinogenic agents need further focus, as modulated by varying genetically determined individual susceptibilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Wolff
- Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA
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Pottern LM, Zahm SH, Sieber SS, Schneider IJ, LaRosa JH, Brown DP, Collman GW, Fingerhut MA, Waters MA. Occupational cancer among women: a conference overview. J Occup Med 1994; 36:809-813. [PMID: 7807258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- L M Pottern
- Occupational Studies Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-7364
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Abstract
We explored the association between groundwater radon levels and childhood cancer mortality in North Carolina. Using data from two state-wide surveys of public drinking water supplies, counties were ranked according to average groundwater radon concentration. Age and sex-adjusted 1950-79 cancer death rates among children under age 15 were calculated for counties with high, medium, and low radon levels. Overall cancer mortality was increased in counties with medium and high radon levels. The strongest association was for the leukaemias, but risks were also suggested for other sites. These associations could be due to confounding or other biases, but the findings are consistent with other recent reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- G W Collman
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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Loomis DP, Collman GW, Rogan WJ. Relationship of mortality, occupation, and pulmonary diffusing capacity to pleural thickening in the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Ind Med 1989; 16:477-84. [PMID: 2589326 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.4700160501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We studied the relationship of pleural thickening consistent with asbestos exposure to mortality, career employment in asbestos-related jobs, and pulmonary diffusing capacity among participants in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Three "B" readers examined chest X-rays to identify 59 individuals with such pleural abnormalities. From 1975 to 1984, the all-cause mortality rate ratio (RR) comparing males with and without occupational pleural thickening was 1.3 (95% C.I. 0.8-2.2). For lung cancer, the mortality RR for males was 3.0 (95% C.I. 1.0-9.1). Career asbestos work was not associated with occupational pleural thickening among men, probably because some with the condition had only short-term exposure to asbestos. Pulmonary diffusing capacity was lower in those with occupational pleural thickening, taking smoking into account. These results suggest that individuals in the general population who have occupational pleural thickening are at risk for some of the health consequences of asbestos work, including lung cancer, even if they were not career asbestos workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- D P Loomis
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
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Abstract
A case control study was conducted in North Carolina to explore the relation between individual exposure to sunlight and the risk of cataracts. One hundred thirteen cases and 161 controls aged 40-69 at diagnosis were studied. Sunlight exposure was inferred from interview data on residency and time spent in the sun, combined with solar radiation data from the National Climatic Data Center. Sunlight exposure was very slightly related to all types of opacities combined. Although the numbers of cases with each type of opacity was small, the risk of cataracts was slightly increased in medium and high exposure categories for persons having cortical or posterior subcapsular opacities only, but not nuclear sclerotic changes. Persons with dark brown or hazel eyes are at increased risk. An unexpected finding was that persons who reported using tranquilizers for six months were at increased risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- G W Collman
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 22709
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Abstract
In a geographic correlation study, we explored the possibility that residential exposure to radon in groundwater may be related to cancers other than lung cancer. Measurements of radon in groundwater and 1978-1982 cancer mortality data from North Carolina, USA were used to investigate this relationship. Counties were categorized in two levels of radon exposure according to measured radon concentration and geology. In the lower exposure group (unexposed) county mean radon concentrations ranged from 0-228 pCi/l (0-8436 Bq/m3), and in the upper group (potentially exposed) the range of county average concentrations was 229-10892 pCi/l (8473-403004 Bq/m3) (median 1375 pCi/l (50875 Bq/m3)). Adjusted mortality ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for selected cancers, including leukemias, gastro-intestinal tract cancers, and respiratory tract cancers excluding lung cancer. In contrast to other ecologic studies, we found no consistent association between radon level and cancer mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- G W Collman
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
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Affiliation(s)
- D P Sandler
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
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Collman GW, Lundgren K, Shore D, Thompson CL, Lucier GW. Effects of alpha-naphthoflavone on levels of sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes from active and passive cigarette smokers: dose-response relationships. Cancer Res 1986; 46:6452-5. [PMID: 3779656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were determined in lymphocytes of nonsmokers, passive smokers, and active smokers in the presence and absence of alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF). Higher levels of SCEs were detected for all smoking groups after in vitro addition of ANF when compared with an assay without ANF. There was a highly statistically significant difference between heavy smokers and nonsmokers (9.25 versus 7.43 SCE/cell) for the assay without ANF and for the ANF assay (14.2 versus 8.8). When considering the numerical difference in SCEs between the assays with and without ANF (delta SCE), higher values were noted for moderate smokers (2.7) and heavy smokers (4.9) compared to nonsmokers (1.4). Significant dose-response relationships were found between the frequency of SCEs and factors related to smoking, such as duration and frequency of cigarette use, tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide content of brand, and urinary measures of nicotine metabolites (cotinine and thiocyanate). No elevation of SCEs in passive smokers was found when compared to nonsmokers using either assay. The mechanism for SCE enhancement by ANF is unclear, but may be related to metabolic activation of the ANF by the cytochrome P-450 system in lymphocytes. The dosimetry relationships between cigarette smoke exposure and SCE frequency indicate that culture of human lymphocytes via ANF may provide a sensitive tool to detect exposure to cigarette smoke.
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