The role of air pollution and lung function in cognitive impairment.

Air pollution has been associated with impaired lung and cognitive function, especially impairment in visuo-construction performance (VCP). In this article, we evaluate whether the effect of air pollution on VCP is mediated by lung function.We used data from the SALIA cohort (baseline 1985-1994 and follow-up 2007-2010) including 587 women aged 55 years at baseline.

Association of air pollution with cognitive functions and its modification by APOE gene variants in elderly women.

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on cardiovascular and respiratory health. However, studies investigating the effects of air pollution on cognition and brain function are limited. We investigated if neurocognitive functions are associated with air pollution exposure and whether apolipoprotein E (ApoE) alleles modify the association of air pollution exposure with cognition.

Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants and Infant Growth: A Pooled Analysis of Seven European Birth Cohorts.

Background: Infant exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may contribute to obesity. However, many studies so far have been small, focused on transplacental exposure, used an inappropriate measure to assess postnatal exposure through breastfeeding if any, or did not discern between prenatal and postnatal effects.

Objectives: We investigated prenatal and postnatal exposure to POPs and infant growth (a predictor of obesity).

Prenatal exposure to PCB-153, p,p'-DDE and birth outcomes in 9000 mother-child pairs: exposure-response relationship and effect modifiers.

Low-level exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl-153 (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p'-DDE) can impair fetal growth; however, the exposure-response relationship and effect modifiers of such association are not well established. This study is an extension of an earlier European meta-analysis. Our aim was to explore exposure-response relationship between PCB-153 and p-p'-DDE and birth outcomes; to evaluate whether any no exposure-effect level and susceptible subgroups exist; and to assess the role of maternal gestational weight gain (GWG).

Behavioral sexual dimorphism in school-age children and early developmental exposure to dioxins and PCBs: a follow-up study of the Duisburg Cohort.

Background: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent organic pollutants that have been characterized as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).

Objectives: Within the Duisburg birth cohort study, we studied associations of prenatal exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs with parent-reported sexually dimorphic behavior in children.

Methods: We measured lipid-based and WHO2005-TEQ (toxic equivalents established in 2005 by the World Health Organization)-standardized PCDD/Fs and PCBs in maternal blood samples and in early breast milk using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Residual tumor size and IGCCCG risk classification predict additional vascular procedures in patients with germ cell tumors and residual tumor resection: a multicenter analysis of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

Background: Residual tumor resection (RTR) after chemotherapy in patients with advanced germ cell tumors (GCT) is an important part of the multimodal treatment. To provide a complete resection of residual tumor, additional surgical procedures are sometimes necessary. In particular, additional vascular interventions are high-risk procedures that require multidisciplinary planning and adequate resources to optimize outcome.

High frequency of diastolic dysfunction in a population-based cohort of elderly women--but poor association with the symptom dyspnea.

Background: The European Society of Cardiology recently proposed a new algorithm "How to diagnose heart failure with normal ejection fraction". Central element of the diagnostic strategy is the demonstration of diastolic dysfunction, either by tissue Doppler-derived indices in first line, or in second line by a combination of elevated blood levels of natriuretic peptide with abnormal tissue Doppler findings. We thought to use this diagnostic flowchart in a population-based cohort of elderly women, in whom the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction and heart failure is believed to be high.

Birth weight and prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE): a meta-analysis within 12 European Birth Cohorts.

Objectives: Exposure to high concentrations of persistent organochlorines may cause fetal toxicity, but the evidence at low exposure levels is limited. Large studies with substantial exposure contrasts and appropriate exposure assessment are warranted. Within the framework of the EU (European Union) ENRIECO (ENvironmental Health RIsks in European Birth Cohorts) and EU OBELIX (OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life) projects, we examined the hypothesis that the combination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) adversely affects birth weight.

Diastolic dysfunction without abnormalities in left atrial and left ventricular geometry does not affect quality of life in elderly women.

Background/aims: Advanced age and female sex are associated with increased myocardial stiffness, even in the absence of cardiovascular disease. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and left atrial (LA) enlargement are typical findings in patients with LV diastolic dysfunction (DD). Because DD has been described in asymptomatic subjects, its clinical impact remains controversial.

Spatial analysis of land cover determinants of malaria incidence in the Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Malaria belongs to the infectious diseases with the highest morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a vector-borne disease malaria distribution is strongly influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between malaria risk and different land cover classes by using high-resolution multispectral Ikonos images and Poisson regression analyses.

Modeling the relationship between precipitation and malaria incidence in children from a holoendemic area in Ghana.

Climatic factors influence the incidence of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. They modify the abundance of mosquito populations, the length of the extrinsic parasite cycle in the mosquito, the malarial dynamics, and the emergence of epidemics in areas of low endemicity. The objective of this study was to investigate temporal associations between weekly malaria incidence in 1,993 children < 15 years of age and weekly rainfall.

Prevalence of nickel sensitization and urinary nickel content of children are increased by nickel in ambient air.

In a cross-sectional study performed in 2000, an unexpected positive association between nickel (Ni) in ambient air, urinary Ni content and the prevalence of Ni sensitization in a subgroup of 6-yr-old children living near a steel mill was observed. Between 2005 and 2006, in a different and larger study population, we examined if Ni from ambient air or urinary Ni concentration was related to Ni sensitization in children living next to Ni-emitting steel mills. We studied 749 school beginners living in four Ni-polluted industrial areas of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Decline in air pollution and change in prevalence in respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly women.

Background: While adverse effects of exposure to air pollutants on respiratory health are well studied, little is known about the effect of a reduction in air pollutants on chronic respiratory symptoms and diseases. We investigated whether different declines in air pollution levels in industrialised and rural areas in Germany were associated with changes in respiratory health over a period of about 20 years.

Methods: We used data from the SALIA cohort study in Germany (Study on the influence of Air pollution on Lung function, Inflammation and Aging) to assess the association between the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic respiratory symptoms and the decline in air pollution exposure.

Airborne particle exposure and extrinsic skin aging.

For decades, extrinsic skin aging has been known to result from chronic exposure to solar radiation and, more recently, to tobacco smoke. In this study, we have assessed the influence of air pollution on skin aging in 400 Caucasian women aged 70-80 years. Skin aging was clinically assessed by means of SCINEXA (score of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging), a validated skin aging score.

Principal component analysis of socioeconomic factors and their association with malaria in children from the Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Background: The socioeconomic and sociodemographic situation are important components for the design and assessment of malaria control measures. In malaria endemic areas, however, valid classification of socioeconomic factors is difficult due to the lack of standardized tax and income data. The objective of this study was to quantify household socioeconomic levels using principal component analyses (PCA) to a set of indicator variables and to use a classification scheme for the multivariate analysis of children<15 years of age presented with and without malaria to an outpatient department of a rural hospital.

Does airborne nickel exposure induce nickel sensitization?

Background And Objective: Nickel is one of the most prevalent causes of contact allergy in the general population. This study focuses on human exposure to airborne nickel and its potential to induce allergic sensitization.

Materials And Methods: The study group consisted of 309 children at school-starter age living in the West of Germany in the vicinity of two industrial sources and in a rural town without nearby point sources of nickel.

Traffic-related air pollution and incident type 2 diabetes: results from the SALIA cohort study.

Background: Cross-sectional and ecological studies indicate that air pollution may be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, but prospective data are lacking.

Objective: We examined the association between traffic-related air pollution and incident type 2 diabetes.

Design: Between 1985 and 1994, cross-sectional surveys were performed in the highly industrialized Ruhr district (West Germany); a follow-up investigation was conducted in 2006 using data from the Study on the Influence of Air Pollution on Lung, Inflammation and Aging (SALIA) cohort.

Normal values for longitudinal function of the right ventricle in healthy women >70 years of age.

Aims: The application of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) as an additional echocardiographic tool to analyse right ventricular (RV) systolic function has been recently established and two-dimensional-guided M-mode measurements of systolic long axis function of the RV are simple, repeatable, and highly reproducible. However, rare data are available on normal values. We aimed to analyse normal values in healthy women >70 years of age.

Long-term exposure to traffic-related particulate matter impairs cognitive function in the elderly.

Animal studies have suggested that fine particulate matter (PM) can translocate from the upper respiratory tract to the brain and cause brain inflammation. Brain inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Hypothesizing therefore that long-term exposure to fine PM might contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the objective of this study was to investigate the association between exposure to fine PM and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which is associated with a high risk of progression to AD.

Eczema, respiratory allergies, and traffic-related air pollution in birth cohorts from small-town areas.

Background: Traffic-related air pollution (TAP) impairs respiratory health and could influence the development of allergies, as was demonstrated in urban areas with relatively high pollution. Whether eczema is affected by TAP was rarely investigated.

Objective: To investigate whether exposure to TAP affects eczema and respiratory allergies also in small-town areas with lower concentrations of pollution.

Risk factors for human infection with Puumala virus, southwestern Germany.

Puumala virus, which causes nephropathia epidemica (NE), is the most prevalent hantavirus in Germany; bank voles serve as the main reservoir. During 2001-2007, most NE cases reported from Germany occurred in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg. We investigated the influence of bank vole habitats (beech forest, seed plants), vole food supply (beechnut mast), climate factors (winter and spring temperatures), and human population density on spatial and temporal occurrence of NE cases in Baden-Württemberg.

The SCINEXA: a novel, validated score to simultaneously assess and differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic skin ageing.

Background: Studies on the pathogenesis of skin ageing as well as efficacy testing of cosmetic and aesthetic measures to prevent or reverse skin ageing require - as an easy to use method - a validated non-invasive clinical score, which allows to simultaneously assess and differentiate between intrinsic (=chronological) and extrinsic (=photo-) skin ageing. Such an ideal score, however, does currently not exist.

Objectives: We developed a novel skin ageing score 'SCINEXA' comprising 5 items indicative of intrinsic and 18 items highly characteristic of extrinsic skin ageing.

Lack of association of delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase polymorphisms with blood lead levels and hemoglobin in Romanian women from a lead-contaminated region.

As part of a project on environmental pollution, this study aimed to evaluate associations between blood lead (BPb) levels, hemoglobin (Hb) content, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) gene in 129 unrelated women from Romania. Five SNPs (rs1805313, rs2228083, rs1805312, rs1800435, rs1139488) were analyzed with respect to haplotype structure and impact on BPb levels and Hb content with proportional odds and analysis of covariance models. Combinations of SNPs were rare (16%).