Rationale and study design of the Japan environment and children's study (JECS).

Background: There is global concern over significant threats from a wide variety of environmental hazards to which children face. Large-scale and long-term birth cohort studies are needed for better environmental management based on sound science. The primary objective of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), a nation-wide birth cohort study that started its recruitment in January 2011, is to elucidate environmental factors that affect children's health and development.

Consumption of seafood, serum liver enzymes, and blood levels of PFOS and PFOA in the Japanese population.

Objective: Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have been shown to accumulate in the human body. The purpose of the present study was to examine the factors associated with the blood levels of PFOS and PFOA.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 307 men and 301 women (aged 16-76 years) living in 15 prefectures in Japan.

Association between blood levels of PCDDs/PCDFs/dioxin-like PCBs and history of allergic and other diseases in the Japanese population.

Background: Previous studies reported that exposure to dioxins was associated with an increased risk of various diseases in general populations.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between levels of dioxins in blood and allergic and other diseases.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 1,063 men and 1,201 women (aged 15-76 years), who were living throughout Japan and not occupationally exposed to dioxins, during 2002-2010.

Meeting report: Validation of toxicogenomics-based test systems: ECVAM-ICCVAM/NICEATM considerations for regulatory use.

This is the report of the first workshop "Validation of Toxicogenomics-Based Test Systems" held 11-12 December 2003 in Ispra, Italy. The workshop was hosted by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) and organized jointly by ECVAM, the U.S.