Differences In Exposure Levels Research Articles

Prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants and cord serum metabolite profiles in future immune-mediated diseases.

Prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants is a significant health concern because it has the potential to interfere with host metabolism, leading to adverse health effects in early childhood and later in life. Growing evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors, as well as their interactions, play a significant role in the development of autoimmune diseases. In this study, we hypothesized that prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants impacts cord serum metabolome and contributes to the development of autoimmune diseases. We selected cord serum samples from All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) general population cohort, from infants who later developed one or more autoimmune-mediated and inflammatory diseases: celiac disease (CD), Crohn's disease (IBD), hypothyroidism (HT), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and type 1 diabetes (T1D) (all cases, N = 62), along with matched controls (N = 268). Using integrated exposomics and metabolomics mass spectrometry (MS) based platforms, we determined the levels of environmental contaminants and metabolites. Differences in exposure levels were found between the controls and those who later developed various diseases. High contaminant exposure levels were associated with changes in metabolome, including amino acids and free fatty acids. Specifically, we identified marked associations between metabolite profiles and exposure levels of deoxynivalenol (DON), bisphenol S (BPS), and specific per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). Abnormal metabolism is a common feature preceding several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, few studies compared common and specific metabolic patterns preceding these diseases. Here we hypothesized that exposure to environmental contaminants impacts cord serum metabolome, which may contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases. We found differences in exposure levels between the controls and those who later developed various diseases, and importantly, on the metabolic changes associated with the exposures. High contaminant exposure levels were associated with specific changes in metabolome. Our study suggests that prenatal exposure to specific environmental contaminants alters the cord serum metabolomes, which, in turn, might increase the risk of various immune-mediated diseases.

Child exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides measured in urine, wristbands, and household dust and its implications for child health in South Africa: A panel study.

Children in agricultural areas are exposed to organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides. This explorative study investigated child exposure to OPs and PYRs, comparing temporal and spatial exposure variability within and among urine, wristbands, and dust samples. During spraying season 2018, 38 South African children in two agricultural areas (Grabouw/Hex River Valley) and settings (farm/village) participated in a seven-day study. Child urine and household dust samples were collected on days 1 and 7. Children and their guardians were wearing silicone wristbands for seven days. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated temporal agreements between repeated urine and dust samples, Spearman rank correlations (Rs) evaluated the correlations among matrices, and linear mixed-effect models investigated spatial exposure predictors. A risk assessment was performed using reverse dosimetry. Eighteen OPs/PYRs were targeted in urine, wristbands, and dust. Levels of chlorpyrifos in dust (ICC = 0.92) and diethylphosphate biomarker in urine (ICC = 0.42) showed strong and moderate temporal agreement between day 1 and day 7, respectively. Weak agreements were observed for all others. There was mostly a weak correlation among the three matrices (Rs = -0.12 to 0.35), except for chlorpyrifos in dust and its biomarker 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol in urine (Rs = 0.44). No differences in exposure levels between living locations were observed. However, 21% of the urine biomarker levels exceeded the health-risk threshold for OP exposure. Observed high short-term variability in exposure levels during spraying season highlights the need for repeated sampling. The weak correlation between the exposure matrices points to different environmental and behavioral exposure pathways. Exceeding risk thresholds for OP should be further investigated.

A regional comparison of children's blood cadmium, lead, and mercury in rural, urban and industrial areas of six European countries, and China, Ecuador, and Morocco.

The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7-14 years, living in 2007-2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted ("hot spot") areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Children living near industrial "hot-spots" had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4-1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6-2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 μg/l and 0.15 μg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the "hot spot" areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6-2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9-2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 μg/l and 16.3 μg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 μg/l and 71 μg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg "hot spot" areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7-3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 μg/l and 3.23 μg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences. These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(3):349-64.

Determinants of respirable crystalline silica exposure in construction in western Canada.

Task-based respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure monitoring data was collected from construction work sites across 3 Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia (BC), and Manitoba. In total 373 RCS samples were obtained from 70 worksites across 44 companies. Sampling was conducted between May 2015 and August 2020. The overall geometric mean (GM) RCS exposure was 0.045 mg/m3 (geometric standard deviation, GSD = 6.8). Alberta had the highest average exposure and the highest variability with GM of 0.060 mg/m3 (GSD = 9.3), the GM in BC was 0.044 (GSD = 4.3), and in Manitoba the GM was 0.033 (GSD = 7.0). A multivariable model was built using forward stepwise linear regression modeling. Province, task type, work environment (indoor vs. outdoor), construction material, sampling duration, and engineering control use were all statistically significant predictors of exposure level in partial F-tests (P < 0.05). Overall, the model explained 42% of the RCS concentration variability. Task type contributed most to the model's explanatory power. The task type with highest average exposure levels was demolition (GM 0.30 mg/m3, GSD 0.49). Breaking (GM 0.16 mg/m3, GSD 8.4) and grinding (GM 0.081 m/m3, GSD 7.4) also had high-exposure levels. Working outdoors was associated with exposure levels 39% lower than indoors. Exposure control measures such as local exhaust ventilation and wetting were also associated with lower exposure levels. Among construction materials, Cement, sand, and stone were associated with higher RCS exposure levels relative to the reference material, concrete. The results of this study indicate that workers in western Canada remain exposed to RCS at levels that exceed the health-based American Congress for Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Value of 0.025 mg/m3. Although there were some differences in exposure levels between the provinces, the determinants of exposure were similar in all 3. The overall GM RCS exposure was 0.045 mg/m3 (geometric standard deviation, GSD = 6.8). Alberta had the highest average exposure and the highest variability with GM of 0.060 mg/m3 (GSD = 9.3), the GM in BC was 0.044 (GSD = 4.3), and in Manitoba the GM was 0.033 (GSD = 7.0).

Development of a quantitative North and Central European job exposure matrix for wood dust.

Wood dust is an established carcinogen also linked to several non malignant respiratory disorders. A major limitation in research on wood dust and its health effects is the lack of (historical) quantitative estimates of occupational exposure for use in general population-based case-control or cohort studies. The present study aimed to develop a multinational quantitative Job Exposure Matrix (JEM) for wood dust exposure using exposure data from several Northern and Central European countries. For this, an occupational exposure database containing 12653 personal wood dust measurements collected between 1978 and 2007 in Denmark, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom (UK) was established. Measurement data were adjusted for differences in inhalable dust sampling efficiency resulting from the use of different dust samplers and analysed using linear mixed effect regression with job codes (ISCO-88) and country treated as random effects. Fixed effects were the year of measurement, the expert assessment of exposure intensity (no, low, and high exposure) for every ISCO-88 job code from an existing wood dust JEM and sampling duration. The results of the models suggest that wood dust exposure has declined annually by approximately 8%. Substantial differences in exposure levels between countries were observed with the highest levels in the United Kingdom and the lowest in Denmark and Norway, albeit with similar job rankings across countries. The jobs with the highest predicted exposure are floor layers and tile setters, wood-products machine operators, and building construction labourers with geometric mean levels for the year 1997 between 1.7 and 1.9 mg/m3. The predicted exposure estimates by the model are compared with the results of wood dust measurement data reported in the literature. The model predicted estimates for full-shift exposures were used to develop a time-dependent quantitative JEM for exposure to wood dust that can be used to estimate exposure for participants of general population studies in Northern European countries on the health effects from occupational exposure to wood dust.

Introducing a land use-based weight factor in regional health risk assessment of PAHs in soils of an urban agglomeration

The high heterogeneity of land uses in urban areas has led to large spatial variations in the contents and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils. A land use-based health risk assessment (LUHR) model was proposed for soil pollution on a regional scale by introducing a land use-based weight factor, which considered the differences in exposure levels of soil pollutants to receptor populations between land uses. The model was applied to assess the health risk posed by soil PAHs in the rapidly industrializing urban agglomeration of Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Urban Agglomeration (CZTUA). The mean concentration of total PAHs (∑PAHs) in CZTUA was 493.2 μg/kg, and their spatial distribution was consistent with emissions from industry and vehicles. The LUHR model suggested the 90th percentile health risk value was 4.63 × 10−7, which was 4.13 and 1.08 times higher than those of traditional risk assessments that have adopted adults and children as default risk receptors, respectively. The risk maps of LUHRs showed that the ratios of the area exceeding the risk threshold (1 × 10‐6) to the total area were 34.0 %, 5.0 %, 3.8 %, 2.1 %, and 0.2 % in the industrial area, urban green space, roadside, farmland, and forestland, respectively. The LUHR model back-calculated the soil critical values (SCVs) for ∑PAHs under different land uses, resulting in values of 6719, 4566, 3224, and 2750 μg/kg for forestland, farmland, urban green space, and roadside, respectively. Compared with the traditional health risk assessment models, this LUHR model identified high-risk areas and drew risk contours more accurately and precisely by considering both the spatial variances of soil pollution and their exposure levels to different risk receptors. This provides an advanced approach to assessing the health risks of soil pollution on a regional scale.

Presence of microplastics and microparticles in Oregon Black Rockfish sampled near marine reserve areas.

Measuring the spatial distribution of microparticles which include synthetic, semi-synthetic, and anthropogenic particles is critical to understanding their potential negative impacts on species. This is particularly important in the context of microplastics, which are a form of microparticle that are prevalent in the marine environment. To facilitate a better understanding of microparticle occurrence, including microplastics, we sampled subadult and young juvenile Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops) at multiple Oregon coast sites, and their gastrointestinal tracts were analyzed to identify ingested microparticles. Of the subadult rockfish, one or more microparticles were found in the GI tract of 93.1% of the fish and were present in fish from Newport, and near four of five marine reserves. In the juveniles, 92% of the fish had ingested one or more microparticles from the area of Cape Foulweather, a comparison area, and Otter Rock, a marine reserve. The subadults had an average of 7.31 (average background = 5) microparticles detected, while the juveniles had 4.21 (average background = 1.8). In both the subadult and juvenile fish, approximately 12% of the microparticles were identified as synthetic using micro-Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (micro-FTIR). Fibers were the most prevalent morphology identified, and verified microparticle contamination was a complex mixture of synthetic (∼12% for subadults and juveniles), anthropogenic (∼87% for subadults and 85.5% for juveniles), and natural (e.g., fur) materials (∼0.7% for subadults and ∼2.4% for juveniles). Similarities in exposure types (particle morphology, particle number) across life stages, coupled with statistical differences in exposure levels at several locations for subadult fish, suggest the potential influence of nearshore oceanographic patterns on microparticle distribution. A deeper understanding of the impact microplastics have on an important fishery such as those for S. melanops, will contribute to our ability to accurately assess risk to both wildlife and humans.

Reliability of O*NET physical exposures between Italian and US databases.

Comparison between cross-national job-exposure matrices (JEMs) may provide indications of their reliability, particularly if created using the same items. This study evaluated concordance between two JEMs created from United States (US) and Italian O*NETdata, using job codes linked through international job codes. Twenty-onephysical exposures were obtained from the US and Italian O*NET databases. Italian O*NET items were direct translations of US O*NET items. Six hundred and eighty-fourUS and 586 Italian job codes were linked via crosswalks to 281 ISCO-08 job codes. A sensitivity study also assessed concordance on 258 jobs matched one-to-one across the two national job classifications. Concordance of US and Italian O*NET exposures was estimated by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in multilevel models adjusted and not adjusted for country. ICCs showed moderate to poor agreement for all physical exposures in jobs linked through ISCO-08 codes. There was good to moderate agreement for 14 out of 21 exposures in models with one-to-one matched jobs between countries; greater agreement was found in all models adjusted for country. Exposure to whole-body vibration, time standing, and working outdoor exposed to weather showed the highest agreement. These results showed moderate to good agreement for most physical exposures across the two JEMs when US and Italian jobs were matched one-to-one and the analysis was adjusted for country. Job code assignments through crosswalks and differences in exposure levels between countries might greatly influence the observed cross-country agreement. Future multinational epidemiological studies should consider the quality of the cross-national job matching, and potential cross-national differences in exposure levels.

Maternal and child biomonitoring strategies and levels of exposure in western Canada during the past seventeen years: The Alberta Biomonitoring Program: 2005-2021.

The Alberta Biomonitoring Program (ABP) was created in 2005 with the initial goal of establishing baseline levels of exposure to environmental chemicals in specific populations in the province of Alberta, Canada, and was later expanded to include multiple phases. The first two phases focused on evaluating exposure in pregnant women (Phase One, 2005) and children (Phase Two, 2004-2006) by analyzing residual serum specimens. Phase Three (2013-2016) employed active recruitment techniques to evaluate environmental exposures using a revised list of chemicals in paired serum pools from pregnant women and umbilical cord blood. These three phases of the program monitored a total of 226 chemicals in 285 pooled serum samples representing 31,529 individuals. Phase Four (2017-2020) of the ABP has taken a more targeted approach, focusing on the impact of the federal legalization of cannabis on the exposure of pregnant women in Alberta to cannabis, as well as tobacco and alcohol using residual prenatal screening serum specimens. Chemicals monitored in the first three phases include herbicides, neutral pesticides, metals, metalloids, and micronutrients, methylmercury, organochlorine pesticides, organophosphate pesticides, parabens, phthalate metabolites, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phenols, phytoestrogens, polybrominated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and tobacco biomarkers. Phase Four monitored six biomarkers of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. All serum samples were pooled. Mean concentrations and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the chemicals detected in ≥25% of the sample pools. cross the first three phases, the data from the ABP has provided baseline exposure levels for the chemicals in pregnant women, children, and newborns across the province. Comparison within and among the phases has highlighted differences in exposure levels with age, geography, seasonality, sample type, and time. The strategies employed throughout the program phases have been demonstrated to provide effective models for population biomonitoring.

Antibiotics in urine from general adults in Shenzhen, China: Demographic-related difference in exposure levels

Misuse or overuse of antibiotics can have a variety of detrimental microbial effects. However, the body burden of antibiotics in the general population is currently unclear. In this cross-sectional study, we determined four classes of widely-applied antibiotics (3 imidazoles, 2 sulfonamides, 5 quinolones, and 2 chloramphenicols) in urine samples from 1170 adult residents in Shenzhen, China. Antibiotics were detected in 30.8 % of all urine samples with concentrations ranging from <LOD to 3517 μg/mL, among which metronidazole, ofloxacin and florfenicol were predominant. Notably, antibiotics prohibited for human or veterinary use were detected in 21.0 % of samples, indicating that these antibiotics may still be overused in daily life. We found that the presence of antibiotics in urine is associated with being overweight (OR: 1.386, 95 % CI: 1.056–1.819, p = 0.019) and obesity (OR: 1.862, 95 % CI: 1.103–3.146, p = 0.020) in the adult population. Multilinear regression analysis showed that a percent increase of hydroxy metronidazole was related to 9.86 % positive change of body mass index (p = 0.029). Interestingly, we also found total antibiotic concentration higher in the unmarried group (p = 0.006). Besides, consumption of smoked foods was correlated with urinary antibiotic levels (p = 0.001), indicating smoked meat may be a potential exposure source of veterinary antibiotics. These results highlight the need to reduce human exposure to banned antibiotics. Future research could focus on assessing the health risk and other outcomes of antibiotic overuse.

The effect window for sulfur dioxide exposure in pregnancy on childhood asthma and wheezing: A case-control study

BackgroundThe relationship between prenatal exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2) and childhood wheezing and asthma is unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the association between prenatal exposure to SO2 and childhood wheeze and asthma. To investigate the effects for the exposure during different pregnancy trimesters. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study firstly in Jinan City to get the prevalence of wheeze and asthma on children aged 18 months to 3 years. And then, we designed a case-control study based on population to evaluate the association between prenatal SO2 exposure and childhood asthma and wheezing. Based on the starting and ending date of pregnancy and specific residential addresses, the individual concentrations of SO2 during pregnancy was evaluated using an inverse distance weighted model. ResultsThe prevalence of wheeze and asthma on children aged 18 months to 3 years was 2.07% in our cross-sectional study. 236 cases and 1445 controls were available for exposure estimates. The OR (95% CI) of 1.296 (1.130–1.491) was significant after adjusting for the covariates. In the first and third trimesters, the effects were enhanced to 1.602 (1.275–2.022) and 1.448 (1.179–1.783) in the multi-pollutant model with adjusting the effects of other trimesters. Coincidentally, the SO2 exposure level of the case in the first trimester was higher than that in the second and third trimesters (P < 0.001); however, there was no significant difference in exposure levels of the case between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy (P = 0.381). ConclusionPrenatal exposure to higher concentration of SO2 could increase the risk of asthma and wheezing in younger children. The first trimester might be just the window for the toxic effect, while the third trimester was the sensitive window for the effect of SO2 exposure during pregnancy on childhood asthma.

Air pollution exposure in relation to guard duty at Tidworth Camp: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundAir pollution is the largest environmental health risk in the United Kingdom, and an issue of concern amongst outdoor workers. Road transport is a major source producing the largest amount of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) (as a secondary pollutant). Hundreds of vehicles enter and exit the Tidworth Camp’s main gate daily, potentially producing these pollutants. However, the air pollution exposure experienced by personnel on guard duty is unknown. This study aimed to determine and compare background NO2 and O3 levels experienced by personnel on guard duty.MethodsCross-sectional data was collected using a static sampling technic on randomly selected days of the week. Data analysis was done using IBM-SPSS-26 and a p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe background concentration of NO2 and O3 pollutants were within recommended limits. There was no significant difference between mean morning and afternoon exposure levels for both pollutants. However, NO2 and O3 levels were significantly higher during weekdays compared to weekends (M = -0.022, SD = 0.007, t(6) = -8.672, p <0.0001 and M = -0.016, SD = 0.008, t(6) = -5.040, p = 0.002 respectively). Both pollutants showed no significant differences in exposure levels when only weekdays were compared. NO2 levels showed a weak positive correlation during weekdays (r = 0.04) and a strong positive correlation during weekends (r = 0.96). O3 levels had a positive correlation on both weekdays and weekends; however, levels on Monday showed a negative correlation (r = -0.55). Linear regression analysis showed that outside temperature was a significant predictor of O3 levels (p = 0.026).ConclusionPersonnel on guard duty experienced higher pollution levels during weekdays compared to weekends; however, air pollution levels for both pollutants were within recommended limits. Further studies are recommended over hotter months using a personal sampling technic to measure personal air pollution exposure levels in order to minimise any health and safety risks.

Influence of School-Based Smoking Prevention Education on Reducing Gap in Exposure to Anti-Tobacco Media Message among Korean Adolescents.

Korean adolescents at high risk for smoking are less exposed to anti-tobacco media messages. This study examines whether school-based smoking prevention education is related to media exposure and whether it can contribute to reducing the gap in exposure to anti-tobacco media messages between smoking vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups. A nationally representative dataset, the 2018 Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey, comprising 59,410 students from grades 7–12, was analyzed. Logistic regression models were designed to evaluate the association between school-based smoking prevention education and media messages exposure. Within-group differences in exposure levels based on sociodemographic characteristics were compared depending on participation or nonparticipation in school-based smoking prevention education. Experience of smoking prevention education within a year was significantly associated with exposure to anti-tobacco media messages. Among Korean adolescents who participated in smoking prevention education compared to those who did not, the media messages exposure rate was more than 20% higher, and the exposure gap within the subgroups by sociodemographic characteristics was narrower. Participation in school-based smoking prevention education was significantly related to media messages exposure. This relationship can be used to improve the overall media messages exposure rate and to reduce the differences in exposure rate based on sociodemographic traits.

What a drop can do? Measurements using newborn dried blood spots in child health research.

Collaborative efforts such as the Environmental influences of Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program in the United States have provided a tremendous opportunity to address important questions on environmental determinants of growth and development in children. Nonetheless, a majority of pediatric cohorts recruit children and their families after birth, which would limit their access to maternal or neonatal biospecimens for evaluation of perinatal exposures. Newborn screening programs have revolutionized early diagnosis of childhood diseases worldwide by using dried blood spots (DBS) obtained shortly after birth. Residual DBS are commonly archived for a variable period of time and can be used to measure biomarkers of exposures to environmental factors. We share our experience from two pediatric cohorts in New York State (NYS), which used archived newborn DBS to measure an arrays of organic contaminants, immune markers, and other proteins. The Upstate KIDS cohort (recruitment: 2008-2010, NYS) and the Starting Early Program (StEP) randomized controlled trial (recruitment: 2012-2014, New York City) obtained consent from parents to access their newborns’ archived DBS for secondary analysis of chemicals and biomarkers for research purposes. Both studies reported good-to-excellent consent rates among those contacted, confirming the feasibility of this resource for population-based research. We reliably quantified concentrations of organic contaminants (i.e., organochlorine pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and perfluoroalkyl substances), immune markers (i.e., cytokines and chemokines), and other proteins (brain-derived neurotrophic factor and adipokines) in archived DBS. We reported associations with indicators of growth and development in children. Findings regarding neonatal concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances varied between cohorts despite identical methodology of measurement, partly explained by differences in levels of exposure and sociodemographic characteristic of participants.Archived DBS can be a valuable resource in population-based studies and in low resource settings to address important questions on the diversity of environmental exposure and their implications for child health.

Pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of liposomal cytarabine (VYXEOS) in AML patients: Influence of cytidine deaminase genetic polymorphisms.

e19517 Background: Vyxeos is a liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine recently approved for treating adults with newly-diagnosed sAML subtypes therapy-related (t-AML) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC). The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the influence of cytidine deaminase, the enzyme responsible for cytarabine detoxification step in the liver, on drug exposition and clinical outcome. Methods: In this proof-of-concept study, 9 adult patients were treated with Vyxeos. CDA status (i.e., determination of Poor Metabolizer or Extensive Metabolizer phenotypes) was evaluated before treatment by measuring residual CDA activity in serum. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed 90min before infusion stops, then from T4H to T168H after the end of the infusion. Total cytarabine, encapsulated cytarabine and released cytarabine were discriminated and assayed using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Results: Nine Vyxeos patients (3M, 6F, 66 ±13 years) were included in this pilot study. Aplasia duration was significantly longer in AML-MRC patients than in AML-t (38 ±5.5 days VS. 28 ±3 days, respectively (p &lt; 0.05)). All AML-t had complete response after induction phase (VS. 60% in AML-MRC, p &gt; 0.05). Similar cytarabine exposure was measured in both population. Surprisingly, 8 out of 9 patients (i.e., 88%) were identified as CDA PM (CDA &lt; 2UI/mg). Marked differences in pharmacokinetics were observed between PM and EM patients. Total, encapsulated and released cytarabine AUC’s were 2.77, 1.42, and1.46 mg/ml*h in PM patients. In EM patient, total, encapsulated and released cytarabine AUC’s were 0.97, 0.76 and 0.17 mg/ml*h. When available, microscopy analysis confirmed the presence of liposomes in patients bone marrow. Conclusions: Differences in clinical outcome between AML-t and AML-MRC patient are not supported by differences in exposure levels upon Vyxeos administration. Surprisingly, we found that CDA status has a strong impact on cytarabine pharmacokinetics since PM patients treated with Vyxeos present a +185% increase in cytarabine levels as compared with EM patient. This suggests that upfront CDA testing could help to predict clinical outcome.

Occupational Exposure to Contagion and the Spread of Covid-19 in Europe

Social contacts are a key transmission channel of infectious diseases spread by the respiratory or close-contact route, such as COVID-19. There is no evidence, however, on the question of whether the nature and the organisation of work affect the spread of COVID-19 in different countries. I have developed a methodology to measure country-specific levels of occupational exposure to contagion driven by social contacts. I combined six indicators based on Occupation Information Network (O*NET) and the European Working Condition Survey (EWCS) data. I then applied them to 26 European countries, and found substantial cross-country differences in levels of exposure to contagion in comparable occupations. The resulting country-level measures of levels of exposure to contagion (excluding health professions) predict the growth in COVID-19 cases, and the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the early stage of pandemic (up to four weeks after the 100th case). The relationship between levels of occupational exposure to contagion and the spread of COVID-19 is particularly strong for workers aged 45-64. I found that 20-25% of the cross-country variance in numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths can be attributed to cross-country differences in levels of occupational exposure to contagion in European countries. My findings are robust to controlling for the stringency of containment policies, such as lockdowns and school closures. They are also driven by country-specific patterns of social contacts at work, rather than by occupational structures. Thus, I conclude that measuring workplace interactions may help to predict the next waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Insights into biomonitoring of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with hair analysis: A case study in e-waste recycling area

In this study, 96 pairs of hair and urine samples were collected from e-waste (EW) dismantling workers of an industrial park, as well as residents living in surrounding areas. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hydroxylated PAH metabolites (OH-PAHs) were analyzed . The results show that concentrations of Σ15PAHs ranged from 6.24 to 692 ng/g dry weight (dw) and Σ12OH-PAHs from undetected to 187 ng/g dw in hair external (hair-Ex), and ranged from 31.7 to 738 ng/g dw and 21.6 to 1887 ng/g dw in hair internal (hair-In). There was no significant difference in exposure levels between EW dismantling workers and residents of the surrounding area. For the parent PAHs, the concentrations of Σ15PAHs of hair-In were comparable with those of hair-Ex for all populations except for the child residents. On the contrary, for the OH-PAHs, the concentrations of Σ12OH-PAHs of hair-In were 9–37 times higher than those of hair-Ex for populations. Moreover, the congener profiles of OH-PAHs of hair-In were different from those of hair-Ex, but similar to that of urine. Particularly, 3-OH-Bap, which is a carcinogenic metabolite, was only detected in the hair-In. These results indicate that OH-PAHs in hair-In, just like in urine, are mainly derived from endogenous metabolism and could be considered as reliable biomarkers for PAHs exposure. However, there was almost no significant correlations between hair-In and urine for OH-PAHs. This indicates that more attention should be paid to OH-PAHs when conducting PAHs exposure risk assessment using hair, which will help to obtain more reliable and comprehensive information on health risk assessments.

Pregnancy exposome and child psychomotor development in three European birth cohorts

Characterization of the exposome, the totality of all environmental factors that one is exposed to from conception onwards, has been recommended to better evaluate the role of environmental influences on developmental programming and life-course vulnerability to major chronic diseases. In the framework of the Health and Environment-wide Associations based on Large population Surveys (HEALS) project we considered the pregnancy exposome exploiting two databases (PHIME and REPRO_PL) that include birth cohorts from three EU countries (Croatia, Slovenia and Poland). The databases contained information on several chemical exposures, socio-demographic, lifestyle and health related factors from conception to child birth, and neuropsychological scores assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development in the first two years of life. Our main goal was to assess consistency of environmental influences on neurodevelopment, if any, across European countries differing for geographical, socio-demographic characteristics and levels of chemical exposures to metals such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and trace elements, including micronutrients such as zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se). To this aim, we first selected variables common to the different databases, then applied univariate and multivariate regression analyses to identify factors linked to neurodevelopment, and finally performed meta-analysis to detect potential heterogeneity among cohorts and pooled estimates. Significant differences in exposure levels among the three sub-cohorts were observed as for Hg and Se; exposure levels under study were relatively low and within the range described in existing EU biomonitoring studies. The univariate analyses did not show any common pattern of association as only in the Polish cohort chemical exposure had an impact on neuropsychological outcome. In the meta-analysis, some consistent trends were evident, relative to the adverse influence of Pb on children's language and cognition and the positive influence of Se on language abilities. The effects of the neurotoxic metal Hg positively influenced the motor scores in the Polish cohorts, while it decreased the motor scores in the Slovenia and Croatian sub-cohorts. The only socio-demographic factor consistently associated to the outcome among cohorts was child's sex, with females performing better than males on cognitive and language scores. These findings point to the need of harmonizing existing cohorts or creating prospective study designs that facilitate comparisons in the exposome over time, places and kind of environmental exposures.

Assessing Mobility-Based Real-Time Air Pollution Exposure in Space and Time Using Smart Sensors and GPS Trajectories in Beijing

Using real-time data from portable air pollutant sensors and smartphone Global Positioning System trajectories collected in Beijing, China, this study demonstrates how smart technologies and individual activity-travel microenvironments affect the assessment of individual-level pollution exposure in space and time at a very fine resolution. It compares three different types of individual-level exposure estimates generated by using residence-based monitoring station assessment, mobility-based monitoring station assessment, and mobility-based real-time assessment. Further, it examines the differences in personal exposure to PM2.5 associated with different activity places and travel modes across various environmental conditions. The results show that the exposure estimates generated by monitoring station assessment and real-time sensing assessment vary substantially across different activity locations and travel modes. Individual-level daily exposure for residents living in the same community also varies significantly, and there are substantial differences in exposure levels using different approaches. These results indicate that residence- or mobility-based monitoring station assessments, which cannot account for the differences in air pollutant exposures between outdoor and indoor environments and between different travel-related microenvironments, could generate considerably biased estimates of personal pollution exposure. Key Words: indoor environment, real-time exposure to air pollution, smart technologies, travel modes, the uncertain geographic context problem.

Cadmium in Human Diseases: It's More than Just a Mere Metal.

Cadmium (Cd), poisoning has been reported from all around the World, causing many deaths annually. Cd is a toxic heavy metal, and is widely present in environment. It has been reported that chronicCd exposure is associated with kidney disease, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Smoking causes exposure to significantly higher Cd levels in humans. Tobacco smoke transports Cd into the lungs. Blood then transport it to the rest of the body where it increases effects by potentiating Cd that is already present from Cd-rich food. Other high exposures of Cd can occur with people, who live near hazardous waste sites, or factories that release Cd into the air and people who work in the metal refinery industry. Breathing of Cd can severely damage the lungs and may even cause death. Multiple studies have shown an association between environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals including toxic metals and obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. At the same time, the existing data on the impact of Cd exposure on obesity and diabetes are contradictory. On the converse, results of epidemiologic studies linking Cd exposure and Osteoporosis, overweight or obesity are far less consistent and even conflicting, also depending on differences in exposure levels. In turn, laboratory studies demonstrated that Cd adversely affects adipose tissue physiopathology through several mechanisms, thus contributing to increased insulin resistance and enhancing diabetes. However, intimate biological mechanisms linking Cd exposure with human diseases are still to be adequately investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to explore the impact of Cd exposure and status on the risk of Cd in human diseases.