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Background: Heavy metals, such as lead harms animals' health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of Pb pollution in the cities of Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces by measuring Pb concentrations in the bloods of brown rats, which serve as omnivorous bioindicators living in the same habitat as humans. Methods: Eight highly populated cities were selected, with 10 rats trapped in each city. Blood samples were taken from the rats, and Pb measurements were done by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: All sampled rats were Pb-contaminated. The mean Pb concentrations in different cities of Golestan Province were statistically similar (p > 0.05). In Mazandaran cities, however, significant differences in mean Pb concentrations were observed. The highest contamination was recorded in Neka (10.28 ± 0.97 µg/dL), while the lowest contamination was observed in Babol (7.3 ± 1.36 µg/dL). The mean Pb concentrations in the studied cities of Golestan (9.43 ± 1.81 µg/dL) and Mazandaran (9.02 ± 1.07 µg/dL) Provinces, as well as in male (10.38 µg/dL) and female (9.25 µg/dL) rats were similar. Conclusion: The Pb contaminations observed in the sampled rats are indicative of Pb contaminations of the sampled cities and the presence of Pb sources in these areas. It seems necessary to take precautionary procedures to prevent the entry of polluted effluents into the sampled cities and the consumption of Pb-contaminated gasoline in these areas, to prevent Pb contamination of human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, rat liver of Pb2+ and Cd2+ ionsthe effect on mitoKATP-channel activity in mitochondria was studied.Inhibition of mitoKATF-channel activity was observed experimentally in the presence of 200 μM concentration of ATP in the incubation medium of mitochondria isolated from rat liver.In the absence of ATP in the incubation medium, 8.0 µM concentration of Pb2+ and Cd2+ salts was noted to reduce the permeability of liver mitoKATP-channel activity in both energized and de-energized states compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uterine fibroids are a major health challenge to some women in the world, especially women of African descendants. The etiology of uterine fibroids and the mechanisms of their growth are not fully understood, and those factors that make women to be susceptible to fibroid development are subjects of investigation. Environmental toxicants such as toxic metals exposure have been implicated, but the results have not been consistent. This study seeks to determine the association between blood cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb) levels and the risk of uterine fibroids among women of reproductive age. Materials and Methods: This case--control study comprised 100 women of reproductive age (age range, 20--50 years) with uterine fibroid and 50 age-matched women without uterine fibroids. Fibroids were diagnosed using abdominal scan by attending physicians. Furthermore, the control subjects were screened for fibroids using abnormal scan. Blood Cd, As, and Pb were determined using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer, and the risk of association was calculated. Results: The mean blood Cd, As, and Pb were significantly higher (P < 0.001) among women with fibroid than those without fibroid (controls). The odds ratio for Cd 2.62 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.02--0.05), As 1.02 (CI: 0.02--0.030), and Pb 1.42 (CI: 0.04--0.129) was greater among women with uterine fibroids than controls. Conclusions: Exposure to cadmium and lead might be a risk factor for developing uterine fibroids among Nigerian women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The increase of air pollution in Indonesian big cities has resulted in serious health problems of their inhabitants. Doing physical exercises in such conditions may affect health quality. This study aims to investigate the effects of physical exercises at public sports facilities exposed to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) on forced vital capacity (FVC) and blood lead levels among visitors of public sports centres in Bandung. Methods. A pretest-posttest randomized-group design was applied. Overall, 30 people who visited public sports facilities were selected to participate on the basis of the inclusion criteria. The subjects were divided into 2 equal groups, the control and the experimental group. The experimental group performed physical exercises for an hour 3 times a week for 6 weeks under high PM2.5 conditions. Meanwhile, the control group did not perform any physical exercise. The participants underwent anthropometric measurements at baseline, as well as spirometry (FVC) and blood lead tests before and after the intervention. PM2.5 levels were also evaluated. Results. There was a significant increase (p < 0.001) in FVC and blood lead levels in the experimental group after 6 weeks of exercising in the evening at public sports facilities which were highly exposed to PM2.5. Conclusions. Six weeks of routine and regular physical exercises at public sports facilities highly exposed to PM2.5 increased blood lead levels, with no negative effect to body function in accordance with standard lead level values by the local health department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Medical News article is an interview with Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, MPH, the Flint, Michigan, pediatrician who discovered elevated blood lead levels among children exposed to the city's drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the management of health hazards caused by the use of lead compounds in food vessels. My focus is on the regulations promulgated in 1801 in Spain. The main protagonists of the paper are late eighteenth-century members of the Madrid Academy of Medicine interested in public health issues, chemists with contrasting views on the regulation of toxic hazards, enlightened artisans with particular ways of knowing and doing, and French military surgeons involved in the long-term controversy concerning the causes and remedies of what was known as the 'colic of Madrid'. Many general issues regarding the regulation of toxic risks are discussed: the disputed fields of expertise, the changing social anxieties, the diverse agency of the stakeholders and decision makers, the technologies for identifying poisons and for assessing their effects, and the persistent tensions and conflicts inside the various professional and academic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational exposure to lead (Pb) adversely impacts offspring health through multiple mechanisms, one of which is the alteration of the epigenome including DNA methylation. This study aims to identify differentially methylated CpG sites associated with trimester-specific maternal Pb exposure in umbilical cord blood (UCB) leukocytes. Eighty-nine mother-child dyads from the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) longitudinal birth cohorts with available UCB samples were selected for DNA methylation analysis via the Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip, which quantifies methylation at >850 000 CpG sites. Maternal blood lead levels (BLLs) during each trimester (T1: 6.56 ± 5.35 µg/dL; T2: 5.93 ± 5.00 µg/dL; T3: 6.09 ± 4.51 µg/dL), bone Pb (patella: 11.8 ± 9.25 µg/g; tibia: 11.8 ± 6.73 µg/g), a measure of cumulative Pb exposure, and UCB Pb (4.86 ± 3.74 µg/dL) were measured. After quality control screening, data from 786 024 CpG sites were used to identify differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) by Pb biomarkers using separate linear regression models, controlling for sex and estimated UCB cell-type proportions. We identified 3 DMPs associated with maternal T1 BLL, 2 with T3 BLL, and 2 with tibia bone Pb. We identified one DMR within PDGFRL associated with T1 BLL, one located at chr6:30095136-30095295 with T3 BLL, and one within TRHR with tibia bone Pb (adjusted P -value <.05). Pathway analysis identified 15 overrepresented gene pathways for differential methylation that overlapped among all 3 trimesters with the largest overlap between T1 and T2 (adjusted P -value <.05). Pathways of interest include nodal signaling pathway and neurological system processes. These data provide evidence for differential methylation by prenatal Pb exposure that may be trimester-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of heavy elements (zinc and lead) in blood of autistic patients to demonstrate the disease's association with these elements. This study was conducted on (60) autistic patients, aged (1-15) years, in the city of Al-Nasiriyah, Dhi Qar province, southern Iraq. Patient and sample data were collected during 2019, from the Autism Center in the Health Department in Dhi Qar Governorate, the official center in the city and another community center. The results showed that the heavy elements examined can be one of the causes of the disease, which increases the appearance of symptoms of the disease. The concentrations of all these elements were high compared to control and were at the next level (zinc 106 μg/dL, lead 13.2 μg/dL). As well as the incidence of sex (5: 1) males: females, and may be the cause of the high rate of infection in males compared to females might be due to sex–affected or from environmental impacts and hormonal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The toxicity of lead, like any xenobiotic, is directly linked to the duration of exposure and toxin concentration in the body. The elevation in blood lead levels (BLLs) in young Flint, Michigan children noted in time-periods before, and during the 18-month exposure to Flint River water (FRW) from 25 April 2014 to 15 October 2015 is well-known internationally. The length of time BLLs were elevated is unknown, yet key in understanding the potential health impact of the event. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether BLLs in Flint children were increased during the entire 18-month FRW exposure compared to similar earlier time periods. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study analyzing BLLs from Flint children aged 5 years and under. The geometric mean (GM) BLLs and percentages of BLLs ≥5.0 μg/dL in Period I: 25 April 2006 to 15 October 2007 (earliest timeframe available for study) and Period II: 25 April 2012 to 15 October 2013 (timeframe immediately before the water switch), were compared to Period III, 25 April 2014 to 15 October 2015 (FRW exposure). Results: There were 5663 BLLs available for study. GM ± SE BLLs decreased from 2.19 ± 0.03 μg/dL in Period I to 1.47 ± 0.02 μg/dL in Period II [95% CI, 0.64, 0.79]; p<.001 and decreased further to 1.32 ± 0.02 µg/dL during the FRW Period III [95% CI, 0.79, 0.95]; p<.001. The percentage of BLLs ≥5.0 μg/dL decreased from Period I (10.6%) to Period II (3.3%) [95% CI, 5.7, 8.8]; p<.001 and from Period I to Period III (3.9%) [95% CI, 5.0, 8.2]; p=.002. The 0.6% increase from Period II to Period III was not statistically significant [95% CI, −1.9, 0.57]; p=.30. Conclusion: Analyses of GM and percentages ≥5.0 μg/dL of BLLs do not support the occurrence of a global increase in BLLs in young children of Flint during the entire 18-month period of FRW exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To compare blood lead levels (BLLs) among children residing in public and private housing in New York City and examine the implications for lead identification and remediation policies. Methods. We examined electronic medical records for BLLs among 4693 children receiving care at a multisite Federally Qualified Health Center during 2003 to 2017. We plotted home addresses against city housing data to assess BLL differences between children living in public housing and private housing. Results. Only 0.25% of children residing in public housing had BLLs exceeding the upper reference limit of 5 micrograms per deciliter, as compared with 2.76% of children residing in private housing. After adjustment for age, gender, and race/ethnicity, public housing was associated with 92% lower odds of having a BLL of 5 micrograms per deciliter or above (odds ratio [OR] = 0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02, 0.33; P =.001). Decreases in BLLs were observed in both public and private housing over time. Conclusions. Children living in public housing in New York City were significantly less likely to have elevated BLLs than were children living in private housing. Decreases in BLLs over time were likely a result of lead reduction legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To assess the prevalence of and the demographic factors for elevated blood lead level (EBLL; ≥ 5 µg/dL) at resettlement among newly admitted refugee children. Methods. This cross-sectional study used data from the postresettlement refugee medical screening of 5661 children resettled in Ohio from 2009 to 2016. We computed prevalence of EBLL and adjusted prevalence ratio with modified Poisson regression modeling. Results. Overall, 22.3% of children younger than 18 years and 27.1% of those younger than 6 years had an EBLL. Children resettled from a South Asia region including Afghanistan (EBLL prevalence = 56.2%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 48.1%, 64.3%), Nepal (44.0%; 95% CI = 33.7%, 54.1%), Bhutan (32.8%; 95% CI = 30.4%, 35.9%), and Burma (31.8%; 95% CI = 27.5%, 35.9%) had the highest prevalence of EBLLs. In addition, those younger than 6 years (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.6, 2.6), male (PR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.1, 1.4), and screened within 30 days of arrival (PR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1, 2.5) had significantly higher EBLL prevalence than did children aged 13 years and older, female, and screened 90 days after arrival. Conclusions. The overall high proportion of EBLL and variation in EBLL by country of origin among resettled refugee children in the United States warrant comprehensive, yet tailored, guidelines for health professionals and resettlement and government agencies for better prevention and awareness programs targeting these high-risk children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a ubiquitous dietary contaminant that occurs in food because of natural and anthropogenic sources and pathways of exposure. Lead adversely affects a number of tissues and organ systems and the severity of effect on each is dependent on the level and duration of exposure. The most sensitive and notable effects are those that occur on the nervous system. This is particularly the case in the exposure to the fetus, infant and child. Infants and children generally have higher lead exposures on a body weight basis. While lead exposure can come from many sources, a major source of exposure for at least some individuals comes from food. Estimates for the impact of dietary lead on IQ were developed from published total diet studies. While most of these were designed to characterize intake of chemical contaminants on a national basis, some sampled market baskets from a single city. To develop global estimates, default ranges were created for countries with no data which encompassed the values encountered elsewhere. Blood lead levels and IQ decrements were estimated using functions previously developed by the WHO Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives. Since both the exposure and dose response components were variable and uncertain, a two dimensional Monte-Carlo simulation was used to develop the estimates for the impact of dietary lead on IQ. In addition to estimating blood lead and IQ decrements attributable to dietary lead from those countries with published market basket data, simulations were also run for WHO regions that sampled in the variability dimension based on the population size of the individual countries in each region. Dietary exposure to lead occurs throughout the world. The global average IQ decrement attributable to dietary lead was 1.1. The total number of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) arising from those IQ decrements were estimated to be 5.2 million DALYs, with an uncertainty range of 0–31 million DALYs. Significant uncertainties regarding exposure and dose-response relationships, however, warrant continued investigation. • We assessed the global burden of dietary lead exposure. • We considered mild, moderate, severe and profound intellectual disabilities. • The global average IQ decrement attributable to dietary lead was 1.1. • In 2015, the global burden was 5.2 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2 cases of boys affected by nocturnal enuresis (NE) associated to a mild malocclusion were reported. Though aetiology of NE is not fully understood, there are three common causes: excessive urine volume, poor sleep arousal, bladder contractions and there is no definitive treatment currently available. Some reports showed good but unpredictable results using orthodontic treatment. The 2 boys, described in the present study, stopped NE immediately after treatment with a soft orthodontic appliance. A correlation between dental occlusion and the neurovascular system is hard to find in modern literature due to a limitation in the number of studies available. According to a recent study, dysfunctions in different areas of the body could lead to a problem at adjacent or related structures. Balancing occlusion might be a new option to improve function in other parts of the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A minimally-disruptive portable electrochemical system is constructed by combining a hand-held syringe as reservoir with disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) modified with a simple and efficient yeast/Co 3 O 4 /Au material for lead determination by a square-wave voltammetry (SWV) method. Not only can it preserve the operation and advantages of the conventional electrochemical procedure, but it also integrates sampling, filtering and analysis to make the determination of lead convenient and effective at higher and lower concentration levels. This is the first report of a microbial biosensor based on active yeast crosslinked to Co 3 O 4 /Au particles using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent. The determination process is simplified by introducing a fiber filter and takes only 150 s with the developed system, which illustrates its simplicity, speed and detection accuracy. Also, the design shows a wide log-linear dynamic range (LDR) from 10−8 to 10−14 g·L−1, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.45 × 10−15 g·L−1 (S/N = 3). Additionally, the proposed system was used to determine lead in blood samples, which demonstrated the potential of this biosensor for use in practical applications. Furthermore, this study provides a basis for the development of microscale blood devices for lead measurement. Highlights • Yeast/Co 3 O 4 /Au are reported as SPE modifiers for Pb2+ determination. • The resulting LOD is 3.45 × 10−15 g/L with linear range from 10−8 g/L to 10−14 g/L. • Peak current by SWV correlated negatively with Pb2+ at lower concentrations. • The sensing system is simple, low cost and accurate for the detection of Pb2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Urinary lead (Pb) is generally considered to have limited use in biomonitoring environmental exposure to lead. Carbon load in airway macrophages (AM BC) is an internal marker to assess long-term exposure to combustion-derived aerosol particles. In urban environments, atmospheric Pb and black carbon may have common sources. We aimed to study the temporal change of urinary Pb (U-Pb) when exposure to outdoor air pollution changes, and the relationship between U-Pb and AM BC. Methods A panel of 50 young healthy adults [mean (SD) 26.7 (5.2) years], including 17 long-term (>1 year) residents in Leuven, Belgium (BE), 15 and 18 newcomers (arrived <3 weeks) from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high-income countries (HIC), respectively, underwent 8 repeated measurements at 6 weeks intervals. In urine spot samples obtained at 5 time points (T1, T2, T4, T6, T8), 24 trace elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. At each time point, AM BC was quantified as the median surface of black inclusions (in μm2) by means of image analysis of 25 macrophages obtained by induced sputum. Changes in urinary metal concentrations (with and without creatinine correction) and the relationship between U-Pb and AM BC were estimated using linear mixed models adjusted for covariates and potential confounders. Results Only U-Pb differed between groups and exhibited significant time trends. Participants from the LMIC group had significantly higher initial U-Pb (1.18 μg/g creat) than the HIC group (0.44 μg/g creat) and BE group (0.45 μg/g creat). In the LMIC group, U-Pb decreased significantly with time by 0.061 μg/g creatinine per 30 days [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.034, 0.088]. U-Pb remained unchanged in the other two groups. An increase in AM BC of 1 μm2 was associated with an increase in U-Pb of 0.369 μg/g creat (95% CI: 0.145, 0.593). Conclusion This panel study demonstrates that U-Pb may be a valid alternative to blood Pb for biomonitoring changes in exposure to lead, at least at group level. In addition, we identified a positive association between U-Pb and AM BC, a biomarker of exposure to traffic-related air pollution, suggesting the existence of common sources of Pb and black carbon in urban environments. Highlights • People coming from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) had high urinary Pb • In people coming from LMIC urinary Pb decreased towards values of the host country • Urinary Pb was positively associated with carbon load in airway macrophages • Urinary Pb and carbon in macrophages may have a common origin in urban environments • Decreasing urban air pollution may result in reducing population exposure to Pb [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basthi Dawakhana initiative was launched by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in Telangana state of India, in April 2018. This article documents, reviews, and analyzes the key design aspects of Basthi Dawakhana, delve into why such clinics are important for strengthening primary health care in Indian cities and urban settings, and proposes a few strategies for implementation effectiveness. In the main text of the article, evolution of urban health services, national urban health mission in India, and Mohalla clinics of Delhi has been provided. The implementation challenges and potetnial solutions for scaling up Basthi Dawakhana have been discussed. The author argues that Basthi Dawakhana initiative is aligned with the 73rd and 74th amendments in the Constitution of India, which transferred the responsibilities for primary care and public health to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The article concludes that Basthi Dawakhana are arguably the first ULB-led community clinics initiative and an opportunities for ULBs in India to lead efforts to strengthen primary healthcare. These Dawakahna along with Mohalla Clinics, can serve platform to reform urban primary healthcare services and advance universal health coverage (UHC) in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored one of the unusual predictions of the concept of back-coupling within the theoretical scheme of the control of posture and movement with setting referent coordinates for the effectors. This concept implies slow drifts of referent coordinates toward actual coordinates leading to unintentional drift in performance. During standing, such slow drifts may lead to a protective step or even a fall and, therefore, corrections are expected leading to body sway at frequencies under 0.1 Hz. Young healthy subjects stood on the force platform quietly for 60 s under two single-task conditions, with eyes open and closed, and two double-task conditions, matching an irrelevant muscle activation signal to a target (MATCH) and performing a subtraction task. The latter was performed with eyes open and closed. The rambling-trembling decomposition was applied to the displacements of the center of pressure in the anterior-posterior direction. Spectral analysis was used to quantify power within typical ranges for Tr and Rm, as well as for a slow Rm component (under 0.1 Hz) addressed as Drift. Closing eyes led to a significant increase in Rm and Tr, but no effects on Drift. Drift increased significantly in the MATCH task with no changes in Rm and a drop in Tr. No effects of the subtraction task were seen on Drift. Overall, our findings suggest that unintentional slow drift of referent body orientation towards the actual body orientation leads to Drift, a specific example of back-coupling reflected in postural sway. This observation can be also seen as an example of physiological minimization of activity of motoneurons. Natural visual feedback is used to avoid the COP drift and/or correct it quickly and effectively; this ability is compromised when vision is used for an unrelated task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on 210Po and 210Pb activity concentrations determination in human hair as well as investigation its utility as an easy and safe indicator of metal elicitation for natural 210Po and 210Pb, and finding differences in their concentrations in hair considering the age, gender, hair color or diet of people who donated the samples. Statistically analyzed results showed significant differences within age, hair color, and cigarette smoking groups. Our results showed that human hair could not be unambiguously used as 210Po and 210Pb body burden indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Nitrate concentration variance did not alter efficiency in MCDI. • It is possible with MCDI to sustain desired efficiency. • 0.4 kW-h/m3 cost was determined for nitrate including ground water treatment. Abstract Groundwater is the most widely used water resource worldwide. In addition to natural underground pollutants, it is also affected by anthropogenic pollution sources. Highly soluble nitrate can easily leak into groundwater via precipitation. Nitrate has the potential to produce nitrosamines and thus can cause blue baby syndrome as well as several types of cancer, including that of the digestive system. Moreover, nitrates lead to eutrophication in bodies of water such as rivers and lakes. Therefore, organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have limited the maximum acceptable nitrate concentration in drinking water to 10 mg/L. These adverse effects make it necessary to remove nitrates from water. The membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) process can successfully remove nitrate. In this study, solutions with different concentrations of nitrate were treated via MCDI at different removal efficiencies, resulting in nitrate reductions below the limit values. Thus, the MCDI process proved to be an economical treatment approach, and during the treatment phase no significant effect of nitrate concentration levels was observed on the recovery efficiency. During the MCDI treatment, the electrodes accepted the SO 4 2− and NO 3 − ions approximately equally, while Cl− removal rate was lower. Groundwater obtained from the Meric district of Edirne (Turkey) containing 233 mg/L nitrate was successfully purified via the MCDI process, with a nitrate removal efficiency of 98%. The energy expenditure calculated for the nitrate removal treatment of the groundwater was 0.4 kWh/m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A child's adaptive ability is important for personal career and social development. Maternal self-esteem may help shape a child's behavior. This study aims to investigate whether maternal self-esteem measured when their children were toddlers predicts their children's adaptive skills at school age, and whether prenatal lead exposure modifies such a relationship.Methods: We assessed prenatal lead exposure using cord blood lead and maternal bone lead around delivery (tibia and patella lead measured in vivo by K-x-ray-fluorescence) among 192 mother-child pairs investigated in Mexico from 1994 to 2011. Maternal self-esteem was measured using the Coopersmith-Self-esteem-Inventory when children were 2 years old. When children were 7-to-15 years old, we measured children's blood lead levels and administered the 2nd edition of Behavior-Assessment-System-for-Children (BASC-2) parent-rating-scales (PRS) and Self-Reports of Personality (SRP) to evaluate children's adaptive skills.Results: Median (P25, P75) values for maternal patella and tibia lead, cord blood lead and children's current blood lead levels were 12.6 (3.2, 21.7) μg/g, 10.2 (4.1, 16.0) μg/g, 5.5 (3.5, 8.1) μg/dL and 2.7 (2.0, 4.0) μg/dL, respectively. In adjusted models, increased maternal self-esteem was associated with increased adaptive T-scores on the BASC-2 PRS and SRP scales. This relationship was weaker in high prenatal lead-exposure groups (high cord blood lead or patella lead groups, P25P100) compared with low prenatal lead-exposure (low cord blood lead or patella lead groups, P1P25) groups (P-interaction values < 0.10). No significant interactions between maternal tibia lead and self-esteem on children's adaptive T-scores were observed (P-interaction values > 0.10).Conclusions: Toddlers of mothers with high (vs. low) self-esteem have better adaptive abilities when they are of school-age. Prenatal lead exposure may attenuate or eliminate this positive association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal contamination in seafood has raised public health concerns, especially for local residents who live in coastal areas. In this study, the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn) were determined in the marine bivalve, Marcia optima, as well as in water, and sediment samples collected from the coastal area of Phuket Bay, Thailand. The results showed that metal concentrations in sediments (4.05-7.14, 16.68-18.13, 164-213 mg kg−1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively) and water samples (0.16-0.44, 0.15-0.26, and 0.32-0.48 mg L−1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively) were below the threshold effects concentration of the sediment quality guidelines for adverse effects to occur and the marine water quality standards of Thailand. A human risk assessment was performed and the results showed that the risks associated with M. optima consumption at Saphan Hin and Paklok were negligible for most of the metals studied, with the maximum estimated daily intake value being observed for Zn (0.00663 mg kg−1 per day) at Saphan Hin. In addition, Cd, Zn, Pb, and Hg would be unlikely to pose a risk to human health with a hazard quotient of less than 1, with only the bioaccumulation factor of Zn being detectable in both locations (0.034 and 0.026 at Saphan Hin and Paklok, respectively). However, continuous monitoring is encouraged to prevent the risks associated with the consumption of metal-contaminated seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Among parturient women in Lubumbashi, blood lead concentrations [geometric means (25th–75th percentiles)] were higher among 40 women with preeclampsia [6.66 µg/dL (5.16–79.4)] than among 39 control women matched for age and gestation duration [5.08 µg/dL (4.27–6.30)]. Blood lead exceeded 5 µg/dL in 33 (83%) preeclamptic women and 17 (44%) control women [odds ratio 6.1 (95%CI 2.1–17.1)]. In another study, we found high levels of lead in surface dust collected in front of homes in Lubumbashi (36/127 samples exceeding 120 µg lead/g dust). Our findings support the conclusions of a systematic review that increased blood lead level increases the likelihood of preeclampsia. Moreover, our study indicates that, as in other urban areas in Africa, exposure to lead is unacceptably high among pregnant women in Lubumbashi. Preventive measures are needed to protect mothers and children from the serious adverse effects of lead exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is an environmental hazard with great public health concern and has been known to inhibit delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD) activity involved in the heme biosynthetic pathway. The study aimed to investigate the influence of ALAD polymorphism (G177C) on retention of Pb-B levels and ALAD activity on occupationally exposed lead workers. In the present study, we enrolled 561 lead exposed and 317 non-occupationally exposed subjects and performed a comprehensive analysis of Pb-B levels along with ALAD activity and genotyping. The frequency of ALAD variants observed in the total subjects (n = 878) was 70.04% for ALAD 1-1 , 27.44% for heterozygous ALAD 1–2 and 2.5% for homozygous mutant ALAD 2-2 . Our study revealed that ALAD 1–2 carriers presented higher Pb-B levels compared to wild type ALAD 1-1 carriers. Further, a significant difference was observed in the activity of ALAD between ALAD 1–2/ 2-2 and ALAD 1-1 carriers of non-occupationally exposed group indicating that the polymorphic nature of the enzyme may contribute to altered activity of ALAD irrespective of lead exposure. Hence, ALAD 2 allele might contribute to increased susceptibility to high Pb-B retention, and genotyping of ALAD in lead exposed subjects might be used as a prediction marker to impede tissue/organ damage due to lead toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A previous study observed high blood lead levels (BLL) in preschool children attending 50 day care centers (DCC) in São Paulo, Brazil. Objective To identify whether lead levels found in both homes and DCC environments are associated with high blood lead levels. Methods Children attending 4 DCCs, quoted here as NR, VA, PS and PF, were divided into two groups according to BLL: high exposure (HE: ≥13.9 μg/dL; 97.5 percentile of the 2013 year sample) and low exposure (LE: <5 μg/dL). For in situ lead measurements (lead paint mode: mg/cm 2 and ROHS mode: μg/g) in the children's households and in the DCC environments, a field portable X-ray-fluorescence analyzer was used. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to control for confounding factors. Odds ratios were adjusted for age, sex, day care center's measured lead, and tobacco. Results In an NR DCC building, 33.8% of the measurements had lead levels >600 μg/g, whereas such levels were observed in 77.1% of NR playground measurements. In VA DCC, 22% and 23% of the measurements in the building and in the playgrounds had levels higher than 600 μg/g, respectively. The percentage of high lead levels in the children's houses of the LE group was 5.9% (95% CI: 4.3–7.6%) and 13.2 (95% CI: 8.3–18.0%) in the HE group. Moreover, a significant association was found between high BLLs and lead levels found both in households and DCCs ( p  < 0.001). Most of the high lead measurements were found in tiles and playground equipment. Conclusions Lead exposure estimated from the DCCs, where children spend about 10 h/day, can be as relevant as their household exposure. Therefore, public authorities should render efforts to provide a rigorous surveillance for lead-free painting supplies and for all objects offered to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas station operators are groups of workers exposed to the risk of dangerous chemical compounds, particularly lead from gasoline and vehicle gas emission that are waiting for a refuelling queue or a vehicle that will depart after completing the refuelling. The research aimed at investigating the correlation between work duration of gas station operators with mucociliary transport time, hair Pb level, and nasal cytogram. The research used the analytic observational method with the cross sectional design, was conducted to the operators of gas station in Tamalanrea and in Gunung Bawakaraeng street from August 2017 until September 2017 with 30 people as total samples. Sample divided into two groups, gas station operator with work duration < 1 year for 15 people and gas station operator with work duration = 1 year for 15 people and each sample was underwent mucociliary transport time examination, hair Pb level examination, and nasal mucosa cytogram examination. The research result indicates that the significant correlation between work duration and mucociliary transport time with p value <0.05 and OR value = 11. There is a significant correlation between work duration and Pb hair level with p value <0.05 and OR value = 9.3. There is no significant correlation between work duration and eosinophil and neutrophil count with p value > 0.05. It can be concluded that the longer work duration as a gas station operator, the higher risk of mucociliary transport time disruption and risk of lead exposure will happen. There is no significant correlation between work duration with nasal cytogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental lead exposure leads to various deleterious effects on multiple organs and systems, including the hematopoietic system. To explore the effects of lead exposure on platelet indices in preschool children from an informal, lead-contaminated electronic waste (e-waste) recycling area, we collected venous blood samples from 466 preschool children (331 from an e-waste area (Guiyu) and 135 from a non-e-waste area (Haojiang)). Child blood lead levels (BLLs) were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry, while platelet indices were quantified using a Sysmex XT-1800i hematology analyzer. Higher blood lead levels are observed in e-waste lead-exposed preschool children. Significant relationships between high blood lead levels (exceeding current health limits) and elevated platelet count (PLT), plateletcrit (PCT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR) were also uncovered. Furthermore, the median PLT and PCT levels of children from the exposed group both exceeded the respective recommended maximum reference range value, whereas the reference group did not. Location of child residence in Guiyu and BLLs were both risk factors related to platelet indices. These results suggest that high blood lead exposure from e-waste recycling may increase the risk of an amplified coagulation process through the activation of platelets in preschool children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lead is a heavy metal that can affect the human hematological system. However, reports are limited on the dose-response relationship between blood lead levels (BLLs) and hematological parameters in children. This study aimed to explore the dose-response relationship between BLLs and hematological measurements among children in China. Methods A cross-sectional design was used. A total of 743 children aged 5–8 years were recruited from two counties in central China. The BLLs and blood levels of iron, zinc, and calcium were determined, and hematological parameters were measured. Results All hematological measurements and BLLs were logarithm-transformed to ensure a normal distribution. The geometric mean of the BLLs of all children was 82.4 μg/L. Forty-one percent of the children had BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L. The lead-poisoning percentages of the children were significantly associated with gender, age, district of residence, and environmental lead exposure level. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed no significant linear correlation between BLL and each hematological parameter among the children with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L. The analyses also revealed a small increase in red blood cell count (RBC) with increasing BLLs in the BLLs < 100 μg/L group ( β  = 0.03, P =  0.048). A negative association was noted between BLLs and blood platelet (PLT) count in the children with BLLs < 100 μg/L ( β  = −0.90, P  < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that BLLs were significantly associated with decreased hemoglobin (Hb) levels, RBC counts, PLT counts and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) after adjusting for potential confounders. Such analyses also revealed a dose-response relationship between the BLLs and hematological parameters (Hb level, RBC count, and PLT count). The children with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L were 2.72, 2.51, and 3.76 times more likely to achieve decreased RBC counts, Hb levels and PLT counts, respectively, compared to those with BLLs < 100 μg/L. Compared with children with BLLs < 100 μg/L, those with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L were 3.16 and 4.38 times more likely to show decreased Hb levels and PLT counts respectively in the high-level lead-exposure group and 4.33 times more likely to achieve a decreased PLT count in the low-level lead-exposure group. The individuals with BLLs of the highest quartile were 3.65, 5.87, and 29.23 times more likely to exhibit decreased Hb levels, RBC counts, and PLT counts, respectively, than the children with BLLs of the lowest quartile. Conclusion Our findings suggested a negative association between BLLs and hematological indicators (Hb level, RBC count, PLT count and MCH). A strong negative, non-linear dose-response relationship was also showed between BLLs and hematological parameters (Hb level, RBC count, and PLT count). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraq Journal of Market Research & Consumer Protection / Al-Mağallaẗ al-ʿIrāqiyyaẗ li-Buḥūṯ al-Sūq wa-Ḥimāyaẗ al-Mustahlik is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of advertisements on the body image and materialism among adolescents. The participants completed the research instruments which included Advertisements Questionnaire (Daud, Farooq, & Anwar, 2011), Body Image Questionnaire (Smith & Peterson, 2014) and Material Value Scale (Richins & Dawson, 1992). The sample of the study was 400 participants (boys = 200, girls = 200) with age range from 14- 20 years selected from educational institutes of Islamabad. The results of the study indicated that exposure to TV advertisements lead to dissatisfaction with body image among adolescents and increased materialism. The results of the study also indicated nonsignificant gender differences regarding their perception about body image and materialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood lead (Pb) poisoning is a worldwide heath problem, especially in developing countries. As the largest developing country in the world, China faces severe health challenges, in particular the threat of blood Pb poisoning. In this study, the temporal trend of Chinese children's blood lead levels (BLLs) and blood lead poisoning incidence (BLPI) (percentage of BLL > 100 μg/L) and its influencing factors were investigated. We collected articles on children's BLLs published from 1997 to 2017 with sampling time from 1997 to 2015 by searching the databases of VIP Medical Information System (VMIS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data. After a rigorous investigation, 259 articles with eligible inclusion criteria were reviewed. Meanwhile, the data of Pb concentrations in the soil of 23 cities and the annual mean PM10 (particulate matter < 10 μm) concentrations of 24 provincial cities were collected. The temporal trend of children's BLLs and BLPIs could be divided into three stages: upward trend from 1997 to 2000, downward trend from 2001 to 2013, and upward trend from 2014 to 2015. The decline of BLLs from 2001 was primarily due to the phasing out of leaded gasoline since 2000 in China, while the descending air quality could explain the upward trend of BLLs in the period from 2014 to 2015. The correlation and regression analysis indicated that soil and air were two major pathways of Pb exposure for children in China. Although a noticeable decrease has been shown, the Chinese children's BLLs were still significantly higher than the levels of developed countries. We highly recommended that the critical value of blood Pb poisoning should be lowered to 50 μg/L in China. Guidelines on the prevention and management of blood Pb poisoning are needed in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study explored the sources of lead exposure, identified patients’ geographic distribution and evaluated the symptoms of children with elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) referred to a pediatric lead specialty clinic in China. Material and methods: Data were collected from 515 consecutive outpatients attending the Pediatric Lead Poisoning Clinic in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai, China, between 2011 and 2016, referred for BLLs ≥5 μg/dL. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure venous BLLs. Results: The mean ± standard deviation age of the patients was 4.1 ± 3.2 years. Their BLLs ranged from 5 to 126 μg/dL. The geometric mean and median BLLs were 24 and 26 μg/dL, respectively. Two hundred and twenty-two children (43.1%) were exposed to industrial lead pollution—mainly from Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan, Henan and Anhui provinces; whereas, 41.4% (213 cases) were induced by folk medicines used widely throughout China. Other nonindustrial sources of lead exposure included lead-containing tinfoil and tin pots. Household lead paint was a rare source. Most patients exhibited nonspecific symptoms, such as hyperactivity, attention difficulty, aggressiveness, constipation and anorexia. Conclusions: Industrial pollution and folk medicines are important sources of lead exposure in China. Childhood lead poisoning may be difficult to diagnose clinically as symptoms are nonspecific. Thus, blood lead screening may be necessary to identify children at high risk of exposure. Education to raise the awareness of potential sources of exposure resulting in their elimination would be expected to decrease the incidence of children with elevated BLLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to determine the effect of lead exposure on MDA levels as an indicator of the risk of oxidative stress associated with damage to cell membranes, DNA, RNA, and brain cells at gas station officers in Sleman. Method: This research is an observational analytic study with quantitative research and using Cross-Sectional design on 43 workers of gas station that selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria in 3 places located in Sleman. Results: The average blood lead level on subjects are 62.174 µg/L with standard deviation 23.602. The lowest lead level is 16.707 µg/L and the highest is 118.503 µg/l. Average levels of MDA is 5.869 µg/L with standard deviation 1.232. The lowest levels of MDA is 3.53 µg/L and the highest is 7.97 µg/. Pearson correlation test results showed that there is a highly significant correlation between blood lead levels and Malondialdehyde levels (p = 0.0000) (r = 0.8432). The multivariate analysis showed that the blood lead level was significant predictor (p<0,05) toward MDA levels with effective contribution of 69.6%. The linier regression equation is "MDA = 3.1605 + 0.000043 lead levels". The equation can be used to predict the value of MDA levels taking into account the levels of lead, for example blood lead level of 10.000 µg/L then MDA levels predicted of 3.590 µmole/L. In this pathway, Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) enzyme is one of most vulnerable to lead toxicity. Inhibition of d-ALAD by lead will cause high levels of Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) in the blood. High levels of ALA in blood will increase production of ROS. Conclusions: Blood lead levels and malondialdehyde levels in employee of gas station (SPBU) has exceeded the normal limit which average blood lead level are 62,174µg/L and the levels of MDA are 5.86 µmole/LA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exploratory study of trace elements in ALS and their relationships with clinical severity was detected. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes irreversible damage in humans, with the consequent loss of function of motoneurons (MNs), with a prognosis up to 5 years after diagnosis. Except to genetic rare cases it is not known the etiology of the disorder. Aim of our research is to investigate the possible role of heavy metals in the severity of the disease. In this study, by the use of plasma mass (ICP-MS), we have analyzed the content of essential and heavy metals such: Pb, Cd, Al, Hg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Mg, and Ca, in blood, urine and hair of ALS patients and controls; moreover we divided the patients in two groups for disease severity and analyzed the difference among the groups, in order to study a possible involvement of metals in the severity of the damage. Our results suggest a protective role of Selenium, involved in protective antioxidant mechanisms, and a risk factor in the case of presence of Lead in blood. The levels of the other metals are not easy to interpret, because these may be due to life style and for essential metals a consequence of the disease condition, not a cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal lead exposure is associated with poor birth outcomes. However, modifying effects of polymorphism in glutathione S-transferases (GST) gene and infant sex remain unexplored. Our aim was to evaluate whether associations between prenatal lead and birth outcomes differed by maternal GST genes and infant sex. Prospective data of 782 mother-child pairs from Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study were used. The genotyping of GST- mu 1 (GSTM1) and theta-1 (GSTT1) polymorphisms was carried out using polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine whether the association between blood lead (BPb) level and birth outcomes (birthweight, length, and head circumference) varied by maternal GST genes and sex. We did not find a statistically significant association between prenatal BPb levels and birth outcomes; in stratified analyses, the association between higher BPb level during early pregnancy and lower birthweight (β = − 224 per square root increase in BPb; 95% confidence interval (CI): − 426, − 21; false discovery rate p = 0.036) was significant in males of mothers with GSTM1 null. Results were similar for head circumference model (β = − 0.78 per square root increase in BPb; 95% CI: − 1.69, 0.14, p = 0.095), but the level of significance was borderline. Head circumference model showed a significant three-way interaction among BPb during early pregnancy, GSTM1, and sex ( p = 0.046). For combined analysis with GSTM1 and GSTT1, GSTM1 null and GSTT1 present group showed a significant inverse association of BPb with birthweight and head circumference in males. Our findings of the most evident effects of BPb on the reduced birthweight and head circumference in male born to the mother with GSTM1 null may suggest a biological interaction among lead, GST genes and sex in detoxification process during fetal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Biomarkers of the reproductive and neuro-developmental toxicants mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) have been found at higher concentrations in women born outside Canada than in Canadian-born women. We measured blood Hg, Pb and Cd in women ages 19 to 45 years living in greater Vancouver (Canada) within five years of their arrival from South Asia (India) or East Asia (mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and related their biomarker concentration levels with exposures and behaviors since their coming to Canada. Methods Participants were recruited through advertisements in relevant ethnic media, locations and groups. Concentrations of blood Hg, Pb and Cd were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-Q-MS) and compared with population values. Biomarker concentrations were regressed against exposures and behaviors assessed by culturally-relevant questionnaire. Results The study recruited 53 South and 111 East Asian women. Median (95th percentile) blood Pb in South Asians was 1.15 (2.71) μg/dL compared with 1.01 (1.81) μg/dL in East Asians. On the other hand, blood Hg at 2.5 (7.3) μg/L was higher in East Asians compared to 0.20 (0.83) μg/L in South Asians. Blood Cd was also higher in the East Asian group: East 0.53 (1.1) μg/L; South 0.27 (0.82) μg/L. Higher blood Hg was associated with seafood consumption, dental amalgams and traditional remedies; blood Pb with home renovations, sucking on metal jewelry, and cosmetics. Blood Pb and Cd concentrations were inversely associated with dairy consumption. Conclusions Asian women recently arrived in Vancouver had higher blood Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations than same-age Canadian women measured in a national survey. Among South Asian newcomer women of reproductive age, exposure to Cd may continue after arrival. Local exposures to Hg occur through seafood and potentially through ingestion of imported traditional remedies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to metal(loid)s can lead to adverse effects on nervous system in children. However, little is known about the possible interaction effects of simultaneous exposure to multiple metal(loid)s on children's intelligence. In addition, relationship between blood lead concentrations (<100 μg/L) and the intelligence of children over 5 years needs further epidemiological evidence. We recruited 530 children aged 9–11 years, including 266 living in a town near an industrialized area and 264 from another town in the same city in South China as a reference. The levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) in blood (BPb, BCd, BAs, BHg) and urine (UPb, UCd, UAs, UHg) were assessed, as well as children's intelligence quotient (IQ). A significant decrease in IQ scores was identified in children from the industrialized town ( p  < .05), who had statistically higher geometric mean concentrations of BPb, BCd, UPb, UCd and UHg (65.89, 1.93, 4.04, 1.43 and 0.37 μg/L, respectively) compared with children from the reference town (37.21, 1.07, 2.14, 1.02 and 0.30 μg/L, respectively, p  < .05). After adjusting confounders, only BPb had a significant negative association with IQ (B = −0.10, 95% confidence interval: −0.15 to −0.05, p  < .001), which indicated that IQ decreased 0.10 points when BPb increased 1 μg/L. Significant negative interactions between BAs and BHg, positive interaction between UPb and UCd on IQ were observed ( p  < .10), and BPb <100 μg/L still negatively affected IQ ( p  < .05). Our findings suggest that although only BPb causes a decline in children's IQ when simultaneously exposed to these four metal(loid)s at relatively low levels, interactions between metal(loid)s on children's IQ should be paid special attention, and the reference standard in China of 100 μg/L BPb for children above 5 years old should be revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A girl with blood lead level [BLL] of 166 mcg/dL was admitted in hospital due to status epilepticus. A high level of lead dust and contamination in environment was detected in her living area. All the children in a school that was located around 100 meters from the recycling factory were examined. Among these group of children, the prevalence of high BLL (10 mcg/dL or more) was 44.2% (75 from 165 children). Objective: To find the associations of demographic, risk behaviors, and external or internal environmental factors in children with high BLL (10 mcg/dL or more) who lives in area of industrial community. A second objective is to study the effects of high BLL (15 mcg/dL or more) on IQ level and learning disability [LD] among these children. Materials and Methods: A case control study was conducted with 43 cases of school children (BLL of 10 mcg/dL or more), and 43 children as a control group in same school by matching of classroom and gender with 1:1 matched ratio. The baseline characteristics, behavioral, and environmental risk factors (internal and external), and collected samplings of the household environment were sent to standard laboratory to identify lead contamination and the association among the environmental risk factors with high BLL (10 mcg/dL or more) by multiple logistic regression analysis, and looking for the prevalence of low IQ and LD among children who were detected BLL of 15 mcg/dL or more. Results: The study found statistically significant association between high level of BLL and school duration (more than four academic years) (odds ratio 4.86, 95% CI 1.81 to 13.04, p-value 0.002), the distance between home and the factory (less than 500 meters) (odds ratio 2.98, 95% CI 1.12 to 7.94, p-value 0.029), and father's occupation (odds ratio 2.75, 95% CI 1.03 to 7.37, p-value 0.044). In the group of children who high BLL (15 mcg/dL or more), the studied found the prevalence of 25% in low IQ, 5% of mental retardation, and 66.7% of LD were detected. Conclusion: This study found positive association of high BLL among children living around the industrial community. The most important factors were related with the duration of living in the place related with lead contamination, father's occupation, and the distance between the housing and the factory. The prevalence of low IQ and LD among children with BLL of 15 mcg/dL or more was higher than average of Thai children. There is a need for blood lead screening for these children and prompt care and prevention if high blood levels of lead is detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pennsylvania Department of Health unpublished data at the ZIP code level were analyzed to determine the geographic patterns for elevated blood lead levels in children 0-6 years of age for Berks County. A distinct departure from the conclusions of other research was that whites had the highest percent confirmed elevated levels, especially for Reading. Old housing and female-headed households were found to be important correlates of elevated lead levels. Data at the census tract level should be examined to obtain more precise insight to the gender, race, and ethnicity differences for lead levels among Berks County's children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the association between lead exposure and children's neurodevelopment has been studied, gender differences remain to be investigated. We examined the effects of lead exposure on the neurobehavioral development of 5-year-old children to identify the vulnerable time window of exposure and potential gender difference. Method A total of 1751 pregnant women and children participated in the prospective birth cohort study, Mothers and Children's Environmental Health study, since 2006. Lead levels were measured in the maternal blood in early and late pregnancies, in cord blood at birth, and in 2-, 3-, and 5-year-old children's blood. The behavior of 575 children aged 5 years were assessed using the Korean Child Behavior Checklist. The association between the blood lead level at each time window and behavior was examined using a generalized linear model adjusted for potential confounders and covariates. Results Lead levels at late pregnancy were significantly associated with increased risk of behavioral problems in males. Lead levels in 2- and 5-year-old children's blood significantly increased behavioral risks in females: for a 1-μg/dL increase in blood lead levels, the score for total behavioral problems increased by 3.00 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56–5.45) during the late pregnancy in males, whereas it increased by 3.82 (95% CI: 1.25–6.39) at 2 years and by 5.72 (95% CI: 0.44–10.99) at 5 years in females with a stronger effect in attention and sleep problems. Conclusion Effects of lead toxicity on children's neurobehavioral development showed gender differences. Males were more susceptible to prenatal exposure, while females were more susceptible to postnatal exposure with stronger effects in attention and sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead based ammunition is a primary source of lead exposure, especially for scavenging wildlife. Lead poisoning remains the leading cause of diagnosed death for the critically endangered California condors, which are annually monitored via blood tests for lead exposure. The results of these tests are helpful in determining recent exposure in condors and in defining the potential for exposure to other species including humans. Since condors are victim to acute and chronic lead exposure, being able to measure both would lend valuable information on the rates of exposure and accumulation through time. A commercial portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device has been optimized to measure bone lead in vivo in humans, but this device could also be valuable for field measurements of bone lead in avian species. In this study, we performed measurements of bone Pb in excised, bare condor bones using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), a cadmium 109 (Cd-109) K-shell X-ray fluorescence (KXRF) system, and a portable XRF system. Both KXRF and portable XRF bone Pb measurement techniques demonstrated good correlations with ICP-MS results ( r = 0.93 and r = 0.92 respectively), even with increasing skin thickness ( r = 0.86 between ICP-MS and portable XRF at 1.54 mm of soft tissue). In conclusion, our results suggest that a portable XRF could be a useful option for measurement of bone Pb in avian species in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead exposure remains an important public health problem. Contaminated foods may act as a source of lead exposure, while certain nutrients may reduce lead absorption. We examined the cross-sectional associations of dietary patterns and the intake of several nutrients and foods with blood (Pb-B) and urinary (Pb-U) lead concentrations in children (5–8 y) from Montevideo, Uruguay. From two 24-hour recalls completed by caregivers, we derived the mean daily intake of select nutrients and food groups (dairy, milk, fruit, root vegetables, foods rich in heme and non-heme iron), as well as “nutrient dense” and “processed” food patterns. Pb-B ( n = 315) was measured using atomic absorption spectrometry; Pb-U ( n = 321) using ICP-MS. Pb-U was adjusted for specific gravity and log-transformed to approximate a normal distribution. Iron deficiency (ID) and dietary variables were tested as predictors of Pb-B and log-Pb-U in covariate-adjusted regressions. Median [5%, 95%] Pb-B and Pb-U were 3.8 [0.8–7.8] μg/dL and 1.9 [0.6–5.1] μg/L, respectively; ~ 25% of Pb-B above current U.S. CDC reference concentration of 5 μg/dL. ID was associated with 0.75 μg/dL higher Pb-B, compared to non-ID ( p < 0.05). Consumption of root vegetables was not associated with Pb-B or log-Pb-U. Higher scores on the nutrient-dense pattern were related with higher Pb-Bs, possibly due to consumption of green leafy vegetables. Dietary intake of iron or iron-rich foods was not associated with biomarkers of lead. Conversely, children consuming more calcium, dairy, milk and yogurt had lower Pb-B and log-Pb-U. Our findings appear consistent with existing recommendations on including calcium-rich, but not iron- or vitamin-C-rich foods in the diets of lead-exposed children, especially where the consumption of these foods is low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondhand smoke (SHS) has adverse effects on health, particularly for children. Our purpose was to analyze the correlation between SHS exposure and heavy metal concentrations in children. The investigation was conducted in Xinxiang County, Henan Province, China, from August 2015 to December 2015. In total, 821 students (433 boys and 388 girls) were recruited, and the contents of heavy metals in their hair-including chromium, manganese, nickel, arsenic, lead, and cadmium-were detected by ICP-MS. The children's parents were informed, and a questionnaire was conducted, which included questions about smoking habits and demographic characteristics. Our results indicate that all parent smokers are fathers, 48.9% of fathers who are smokers, but 25.2% of fathers smoke in front of their children. The levels of chromium (median girls vs boys, μg/g) (2.36 vs 2.06, p < 0.001), nickel (1.28 vs 0.97, p < 0.001), arsenic (0.55 vs 0.49, p < 0.001), and lead (2.73 vs 2.16, p < 0.001) in girls were significantly higher than in boys. The levels of cadmium (median, SHS group vs control: 0.43 vs 0.29 (μg/g), p < 0.001) and lead (median, SHS group vs control: 2.71 vs 2.27 (μg/g), p = 0.007) in the SHS group were significantly higher than in the control. Multi-linear regression analysis indicated that SHS exposure in children is very likely to be correlated with increasing levels of lead (β (95% CI): 0.53 (0.99-5.14), p = 0.023) and cadmium (β (95% CI): 0.43 (0.14-0.73), p = 0.003) in their hair. In conclusion, children exposed to SHS have increased lead and cadmium accumulations in the body.Conclusion: In our study, 821 students (433 boys and 388 girls) were recruited, and the contents of heavy metals in their hair-including chromium, manganese, nickel, arsenic, lead, and cadmium-were detected by ICP-MS. And the secondhand smoking (SHS) exposure was inquired by face-to-face investigation of their parents. We illustrated that children exposed to SHS have increased lead and cadmium accumulations in the body. What is Known: • Secondhand smoke (SHS) has adverse effects on health, particularly for children. • There might be correlation between SHS exposure and heavy metal concentrations in children. What is New: • The levels of chromium, nickel, arsenic, and lead in girls were significantly higher than in boys. • SHS exposure in children was correlated with increasing levels of lead and cadmium in their hair because of exposure to SHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase of motorized vehicles In Indonesia amounted 114,209,360 units throughout the country in 2015 which was a 15% increase from the total number in 2016. Despite showing a good economic growth, it also poses some negative impacts. Road accident is the third leading cause of death in Indonesia. The most number of casualties and losses suffered is mostly caused by road accidents involving buses. The increase of vehicle also caused high pollution such as lead (Pb) especially in metropolitan cities and those who are prone to this are the people working every day on the roads. This research examined lead (Pb) levels in the air on 5 traffic congestion points in Surabaya and in the blood with and 11 Surabaya city bus drivers as the samples. The measurement of lead (Pb) levels in the air and in the blood applied AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer) method. The measurement of Pb levels in the air was conducted 3 times for each traffic congestion point. For blood lead level, the measurement was only conducted 1 time in the afternoon after the bus drivers completed their activities. Age and daily smoking frequencies were the measured variables suspected to affect the lead concentration on the blood. The research result showed that the highest Pb concentration in the air was found to be consistent in the afternoon at five traffic congestion points while the data of blood lead level examination revealed that 8 out of 11 city bus drivers had high Pb concentration on their blood which exceeded the allowed threshold point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a non-biodegradable heavy metal that easily accumulates in the human body, causing anemia, cancer, renal kidney disease, nervous system damage and mental retardation. In this study, a new lead adsorbent of graphene@Fe–Mg–Cu ternary oxide composite was successfully fabricated using a one-spot thermal decomposition approach. The prepared material was fully characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), BET surface area and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The lead adsorption behaviour of the prepared graphene@Fe–Mg–Cu ternary oxides was studied by batch and column experiments. The adsorption isotherm was described by both the Langmuir and Freundlich models and the sorption kinetics of lead adsorption by the composite was found to be pseudo-second order. The graphene@Fe–Mg–Cu ternary oxides exhibited exceptional and fast adsorption of lead over a wide range of solution pHs with remarkable durability, selectivity, and recyclability, which could make this composite a very promising candidate for effective removal of lead from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]