Responses of serum chemokines to dramatic changes of air pollution levels, a panel study.

Despite the and evidence, studies are limited in evaluating whether chemokines are potential inflammatory mediators in response to air pollution exposure in humans. We conducted a panel study coinciding with the Beijing Olympics, when temporary air pollution controls were implemented. We measured a suite of serum chemokines among healthy adults before, during and after the Olympics, respectively.

Metabolomics Profiling before, during, and after the Beijing Olympics: A Panel Study of Within-Individual Differences during Periods of High and Low Air Pollution.

Background: The metabolome is a collection of exogenous chemicals and metabolites from cellular processes that may reflect the body's response to environmental exposures. Studies of air pollution and metabolomics are limited.

Objectives: To explore changes in the human metabolome before, during, and after the 2008 Beijing Olympics Games, when air pollution was high, low, and high, respectively.

How do glutathione antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant status respond to air pollution exposure?

This study aims to investigate how antioxidant enzyme activity and overall antioxidant capacity respond to short-term changes in exposure to air pollution. 201 participants were recruited before- and followed up during- and after- the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Serum levels of antioxidant enzymes including glutathione S-transferases (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were measured.

Consumption of Lake Ontario sport fish and the incidence of colorectal cancer in the New York State Angler Cohort Study (NYSACS).

Fish consumption is hypothesized to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Nonetheless, consuming sport fish from the Great Lakes increases exposure to certain persistent organic pollutants, namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine insecticides, which may increase the risk of cancer. Evidence that exposure to persistent organic pollutants is associated with colorectal cancer is sparse.

Raw Garlic Consumption and Lung Cancer in a Chinese Population.

Background: Evidence of anticancer properties of garlic for different cancer sites has been reported previously in in vitro and in vivo experimental studies but there is limited epidemiologic evidence on the association between garlic and lung cancer.

Methods: We examined the association between raw garlic consumption and lung cancer in a case-control study conducted between 2005 and 2007 in Taiyuan, China. Epidemiologic data was collected by face-to-face interviews from 399 incident lung cancer cases and 466 healthy controls.

Peak expiratory flow, breath rate and blood pressure in adults with changes in particulate matter air pollution during the Beijing Olympics: a panel study.

Objectives: This study aims to examine whether changes in short-term exposures to particulate matter are associated with changes in lung function, breath rate, and blood pressure among healthy adults and whether smoking status modifies the association.

Methods: We took advantage of the artificially controlled changes in air pollution levels that occurred during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China and conducted a panel study of 201 Beijing residents. Data were collected before, during, and after the Olympics, respectively.

Vitamin D status and 5-year changes in periodontal disease measures among postmenopausal women: the Buffalo OsteoPerio Study.

Background: Vitamin D is hypothesized to prevent periodontal disease progression through its immune-modulating properties and its role in maintaining systemic calcium concentrations. The authors investigated associations between plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] (collected 1997 to 2000) and the 5-year change in periodontal disease measures from baseline (1997 to 2000) to follow-up (2002 to 2005) among 655 postmenopausal women in a Women's Health Initiative Observational Study ancillary study. Exploratory analyses were conducted in 628 women who also had 25(OH)D measures at follow-up.

Indoor air pollution and risk of lung cancer among Chinese female non-smokers.

Purpose: To investigate indoor particulate matter (PM) level and various indoor air pollution exposure, and to examine their relationships with risk of lung cancer in an urban Chinese population, with a focus on non-smoking women.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study in Taiyuan, China, consisting of 399 lung cancer cases and 466 controls, of which 164 cases and 218 controls were female non-smokers. Indoor PM concentrations, including PM(1), PM(2.

Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and periodontal disease in postmenopausal women.

Background: Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that, together with its influence on bone health, may confer periodontal benefit.

Methods: Cross-sectional associations (years 1997-2000) between plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration [25(OH)D] and periodontal measure were investigated among 920 postmenopausal women. Measures of chronic disease were defined based on: 1) alveolar crestal height (ACH) measures from intraoral radiographs and tooth loss and 2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) criteria using measures of clinical attachment level and probing depth (PD).

Associations between the worksite environment and perceived health culture.

Purpose: Recognition regarding the importance of health culture in the worksite health promotion literature is growing; however, little empirical evidence exists to guide programmatic or research efforts. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the health supporting structural features of the workplace and perceived health culture.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Profiles of ortho-polychlorinated biphenyl congeners, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene, and Mirex among male Lake Ontario sportfish consumers: the New York State Angler cohort study.

Great Lakes sportfish consumption is a recognized human exposure source to environmental organochlorine compounds. Using data collected as part of the New York State Angler Cohort Study, 203 males were considered with regard to history of Lake Ontario sportfish consumption and sera levels of 57 ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene, and Mirex. Consumption of six species of highly contaminated Lake Ontario sportfish during the years 1980 to 1990 was considered.

Reliability of sport fish consumption in the New York State Angler cohort study.

This paper examines the reliability of sport fish consumption data from the New York State Angler Cohort Study (NYSACS). NYSACS is a prospective cohort study conducted among New York State registered sportsmen and fishermen. Sport fish consumption information for New York State waters including the Great Lakes between June 1990 and June 1991 were collected through self-administered questionnaires, Spouses of male anglers were asked to provide their husbands' fish consumption during the same time period.

Maternal fish consumption and infant birth size and gestation: New York State Angler Cohort Study.

Background: The scientific literature poses a perplexing dilemma for pregnant women with respect to the consumption of fish from natural bodies of water. On one hand, fish is a good source of protein, low in fat and a rich source of other nutrients all of which have presumably beneficial effects on developing embryos and fetuses. On the other hand, consumption of fish contaminated with environmental toxicants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been associated with decrements in gestation and birth size.

Hormonally active agents in the environment and children's behavior: assessing effects on children's gender-dimorphic outcomes.

Background: Early sex hormone exposure contributes to gender-dimorphic behavioral development in mammals, including humans. Environmental toxicants concentrated in contaminated sport fish can interfere with the actions of sex steroids.

Methods: This study developed an outcome variable by combining gender-dimorphic behaviors that differentiates boys and girls.

PCB congeners and pesticides and female fecundity, New York State Angler Prospective Pregnancy Study.

Consumption of PCB-contaminated sport fish from Lake Ontario has been reported to be associated with diminished female fecundity. To identify Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and other pesticides that might be associated with reduced fecundity, we followed 102 women aged 20-34 years attempting pregnancy who completed daily diaries for 12 at risk menstrual cycles. Fecundity referred to time-to-pregnancy (TTP) or the number of at risk menstrual cycles required for pregnancy.