Our previous study found that exposure to higher organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) was associated with increased prevalence of wheeze and type 2 inflammation among school-aged children. It remains unclear whether PFR exposure elevates oxidative stress in these general pediatric population, thereby potentially contributing to the development of allergic diseases. This study examined the associations between individual and mixture exposure to PFRs and oxidative stress in children aged 9-12 years (n = 423).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Clin Biochem
January 2025
Background: Lysophosphatidylethanolamines (lyso-PEs) are the partial hydrolysis products of phosphatidylethanolamine. Although lyso-PEs are important biomarkers in various diseases, their determination is limited by the lack of simple and efficient quantification methods. This study aims to develop an improved quantitative method for the determination of lyso-PEs and its application to an epidemiological study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCholesteryl esters (CE) are sterols comprising various fatty acyl chains attached to a cholesterol hydroxyl moiety. CEs are often considered plasma biomarkers of liver function; however, their absolute concentrations in the plasma of Japanese preadolescents have not been well explored. This study aimed to determine the plasma CE levels in Japanese preadolescents of different sexes, ages, and body weights living in Hokkaido, Japan using targeted liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Childhood asthma is known to be affected by a range of factors, including conditions in the indoor environment. While flooring material influences indoor air conditions, the potential association between flooring materials and childhood asthma remains poorly understood in Japan.
Objective: The present study aims to assess the association between childhood asthma incidence and the primary flooring material with the ongoing prospective nationwide birth cohort data of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).
J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci
July 2024
The purpose of this study is to explore the plasma short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in 9-12-year-old Japanese children collected in the Hokkaido study, focusing on how factors such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) correlate with these levels. The Hokkaido Study on Children's Health is an ongoing longitudinal study since 2002, encompassing 20,926 pregnant women in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, between 2003 and 2012. We contacted 1881 children aged 9-12 born between April 2006 and January 2010, and 342 non-fasting plasma samples (boys = 181, girls = 161) were obtained from this cohort, alongside assessments of their height and weight.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExposure to organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) increases the risk of asthma and allergies. However, little is known about its association with type 2 inflammation (T2) biomarkers used in the management of allergies. The study investigated associations among urinary PFR metabolite concentrations, allergic symptoms, and T2 biomarkers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhthalates owing to their endocrine-disrupting effects are regulated in certain products, leading to their replacement with substitutions such as di-2-ethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHTP), 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid di(isononyl) ester (DINCH), and di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA). However, information on human exposure to these substitutes, especially in susceptible subpopulations such as children, is limited. Thus, we examined the levels and exposure trends of DEHTP, DINCH, and DEHA metabolites in 7 year-old Japanese school children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInformal electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling activities contribute to releasing hazardous compounds in the environment and potential exposure to humans and their health. These hazardous compounds include persistent organic pollutants (POPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. This review searched papers addressing hazardous compounds emitted from e-waste recycling activities and their health effects in Vietnam.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNonylphenol (NP) has been under scrutiny for decades due to its endocrine-disrupting properties and its ubiquity in the environment. Despite its widespread occurrence, robust and reliable exposure data are rare. In this study, we used human biomonitoring (HBM) measuring the novel urinary alkyl-chain-oxidized biomarkers OH-NP and oxo-NP to determine NP exposure in 7-year-old Japanese children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Exposure to individual phthalates and the mediation effect of oxidative stress in association with asthma and allergic symptoms have been studied previously. Little is known about the mixture effect of phthalates on health outcomes. Thus, we investigated the effect of a mixture of ten phthalate metabolites in association with wheeze, rhino-conjunctivitis, and eczema.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health is an ongoing study consisting of two birth cohorts of different population sizes: the Sapporo cohort and the Hokkaido cohort. Our primary objectives are to (1) examine the effects that low-level environmental chemical exposures have on birth outcomes, including birth defects and growth retardation; (2) follow the development of allergies, infectious diseases, and neurobehavioral developmental disorders, as well as perform a longitudinal observation of child development; (3) identify high-risk groups based on genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals; and (4) identify the additive effects of various chemicals, including tobacco.
Methods: The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the progress of the Hokkaido Study, summarize recent results, and suggest future directions.
The widespread commercial production and use of phthalates as plasticizers in consumer products have led to significant human exposure. Some phthalates are known to disrupt the endocrine system and result in adverse health outcomes. As such, they have been regulated in materials used for children's items and food packages.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Maternal lipid intake in the early postnatal period has a long-term effect on the possibility of fatty liver formation in children; besides, the importance of lipid consumption during lactation for children's health has been suggested. Green tea extract (GTE) contains abundant catechins, and it has been reported to improve lipid metabolism and prevent fatty liver.
Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of maternal GTE intake during lactation on hepatic lipid accumulation in adult male rats exposed to a continuous high-fat (HF) diet from the foetal period.
Background: Sick building syndrome (SBS) refers to the combination of symptoms experienced by occupants of specific building characteristics. This study investigated the associations of children's lifestyle behaviors, allergies, home, and school environment with SBS symptoms.
Methods: A total of 4408 elementary school children living in Sapporo City, Japan participated in this study.
Resveratrol (RSV) can protect against non-communicable diseases by improving cholesterol metabolism. However, it is unclear that effects of maternal RSV intake on health of adult offspring. In this study, we examined effects of maternal RSV intake during lactation on cholesterol metabolism in adult male rat offspring.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe examined the changes in the heart of rats at the early stages of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, and whether azuki bean extract (ABE) could influence these changes. The experimental diabetic rats received 0 or 40 mg/kg of ABE orally for 4 weeks, whereas the control group rats received distilled water. 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and expression of proteins associated with peroxisomal FA β-oxidation as well as oxidative stress markers were examined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Phosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are ubiquitously detected in indoor environments. Despite increasing health concerns pertaining to PFR exposure, few epidemiological studies have examined PFR exposure and its effect on children's allergies.
Objectives: To investigate the association between PFRs in house dust, their metabolites in urine, and symptoms of wheeze and allergies among school-aged children.
In this review, we examine house dust and its effect on inhabitants' health. Residential house dust includes components from plants, pollens, microorganisms, insects, skin flakes, hairs and fibers. It also includes materials contaminated with chemicals from combustion, furniture, interior materials, electronics, cleaning agents, personal care products.
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