Association of prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure with sexually dimorphic differences in anogenital distance among Thai farmworker children.

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are some of the most abundantly used insecticides, and prenatal exposures have been linked to adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Anogenital distance (AGD) has emerged as an early marker of androgen activity, and later reproductive outcomes, that is sensitive to alteration by environmental chemicals. Here, we examined associations between prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, an OP insecticide, with AGD. Pregnant farmworkers were enrolled in the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE; N = 104) between 2017 and 2019 in Northern Thailand. Concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), a specific metabolite of chlorpyrifos, were measured in composited urine samples obtained from each trimester of pregnancy. AGD was measured at 12 months of age. Sex-specific adjusted linear regression models were used to examine associations between average and trimester-specific TCPy levels and AGD. In adjusted models for females and males, increasing TCPy was consistently associated with a modest, non-significant reduction in AGD. Across both strata of sex, associations were greatest in magnitude for trimester 3 (females: ß = -2.17, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = -4.99, 0.66; males: ß = -3.02, 95 % CI = -6.39, 0.35). In the SAWASDEE study, prenatal chlorpyrifos exposure was not strongly associated with AGD at 12 months of age.

Associations between prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure and placental gene networks.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides during pregnancy has been linked to deficiencies of neurobehavioral development in childhood; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain elusive. The placenta plays a crucial role in protecting the fetus from environmental insults and safeguarding proper fetal development including neurodevelopment. The aim of our study is to evaluate changes in the placental transcriptome associated with prenatal OP exposure. METHODS: Pregnant farm workers from two agricultural districts in northern Thailand were recruited for the Study of Asian Women and Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE) from 2017 to 2019. For 254 participants, we measured maternal urinary concentrations of six nonspecific dialkyl phosphates (DAP) metabolites in early, middle, and late pregnancy. In parallel, we profiled the term placental transcriptome from the same participants using RNA-Sequencing and performed Weighted Gene co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). Generalized linear regression modeling was used to examine associations of urinary OP metabolites and placental co-expression module eigenvalues. RESULTS: We identified 21 gene co-expression modules in the placenta. From the six DAP metabolites assayed, diethylphosphate (DEP) and diethylthiophosphate (DETP) were detected in more than 70% of the urine samples. Significant associations between DEP at multiple time points and two specific placental gene modules were observed. The 'black' module, enriched in genes involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxia, was negatively associated with DEP in early (p = 0.034), and late pregnancies (p = 0.016). The 'lightgreen' module, enriched in genes involved in myogenesis and EMT, was negatively associated with DEP in late pregnancy (p = 0.010). We observed 2 hub genes (CELSR1 and PYCR1) of the 'black' module to be negatively associated with DEP in early and late pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that prenatal OP exposure may disrupt placental gene networks in a time-dependent manner. Such transcriptomic effects may lead to down-stream changes in placental function that ultimately affect the developing fetus.

Metabolome-wide association study of the relationship between chlorpyrifos exposure and first trimester serum metabolite levels in pregnant Thai farmworkers.

INTRODUCTION: Organophosphate (OP) insecticides, including chlorpyrifos, have been linked with numerous harmful health effects on maternal and child health. Limited data are available on the biological mechanisms and endogenous pathways underlying the toxicity of chlorpyrifos exposures on pregnancy and birth outcomes. In this study, we measured a urinary chlorpyrifos metabolite and used high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) to identify biological perturbations associated with chlorpyrifos exposure among pregnant women in Thailand, who are disparately exposed to high levels of OP insecticides. METHODS: This study included 50 participants from the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE). We used liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry to conduct metabolic profiling on first trimester serum samples collected from participants to evaluate metabolic perturbations in relation to chlorpyrifos exposures. We measured 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy), a specific metabolite of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, in first trimester urine samples to assess the levels of exposures. Following an untargeted metabolome-wide association study workflow, we used generalized linear models, pathway enrichment analyses, and chemical annotation to identify significant metabolites and pathways associated with urinary TCPy levels. RESULTS: In the 50 SAWASDEE participants, the median urinary TCPy level was 4.36 µg TCPy/g creatinine. In total, 691 unique metabolic features were found significantly associated with TCPy levels (p < 0.05) after controlling for confounding factors. Pathway analysis of metabolic features associated with TCPy indicated perturbations in 24 metabolic pathways, most closely linked to the production of reactive oxygen species and cellular damage. These pathways include tryptophan metabolism, fatty acid oxidation and peroxisome metabolism, cytochromes P450 metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and vitamin B3 metabolism. We confirmed the chemical identities of 25 metabolites associated with TCPy levels, including glutathione, cystine, arachidic acid, itaconate, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. DISCUSSION: The metabolic perturbations associated with TCPy levels were related to oxidative stress, cellular damage and repair, and systemic inflammation, which could ultimately contribute to health outcomes, including neurodevelopmental deficits in the child. These findings support the future development of sensitive biomarkers to investigate the metabolic underpinnings related to pesticide exposure during pregnancy and to understand its link to adverse outcomes in children.

Adaptation of a neurobehavioral test battery for Thai children.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to neurotoxicants is a world wide problem with significant health implications for child development. In spite of higher neurotoxicant exposures, many developing countries do not have established neuropsychological instruments. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the adaptation and reliability of a computer and examiner administered Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) that includes tests of motor speed and dexterity, attention, memory, and visuospatial coordination for use in Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To assess test-retest and alternate form reliability, BARS was administered to 24 healthy, 6-8 year old urban Thai children during two testing sessions two weeks apart. A comparison group of 29 healthy, rural Thai children of similar age and sex completed the BARS as part of another study and comprised a comparison group. RESULTS: Test-retest reliabilities for tests without alternate forms ranged from 0.41 to 0.77, but reliabilities were lower for tests with alternate forms (0.11 to 0.83). Paired t-tests revealed few significant differences in group performance between test administrations. Performance of urban Thai participants was compared to 29 rural Thai participants of similar age and sex. Parental education was significantly greater for urban vs. rural participants, resulting in significant differences in performance on tests of motor speed. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of BARS for epidemiologic studies of neurotoxicants in Thailand, but highlights the sensitivity of these tests to differences in parental education and the need for improved alternate test forms.

Predictors of executive function among 2 year olds from a Thai birth cohort.

Executive function (EF) is a critical skill for academic achievement. Research on the psychosocial and environmental predictors of EF, particularly among Southeast Asian, agricultural, and low income/rural populations, is limited. Our longitudinal study explored the influence of agricultural environmental, psychosocial, and temperamental factors on children's emerging EF. Three-hundred and nine farm worker women were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy. We evaluated the effects of prenatal insecticide exposure and psychosocial factors on "cool" (i.e., cognitive: A-not-B task, looking version) and "hot" EF (i.e., affective, response inhibition) measures of emerging EF. Maternal urine samples were collected monthly during pregnancy, composited, and analyzed for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate insecticides. Psychosocial factors included socioeconomic status, maternal psychological factors, and quality of mother-child behavioral interactions. Backward stepwise regressions evaluated predictors of children's EF at 12 (N = 288), 18 (N = 277) and 24 (N = 280) months of age. We observed different predictive models for cool EF, as measured by A-not-B task, vs. hot EF, as measured by response inhibition tasks. Report of housing quality as a surrogate for income was a significant predictor of emerging EF. However, these variables had opposite effects for cool vs. hot EF. More financial resources predicted better cool EF performance but poorer hot EF performance. Qualitative findings indicate that homes with fewer resources were in tribal areas where children must remain close to an adult for safety reasons. This finding suggests that challenging physical environments (e.g., an elevated bamboo home with no electricity or running water), may contribute to development of higher levels of response inhibition through parental socialization methods that emphasize compliance. Children who tended to show more arousal and excitability, and joy reactivity as young infants in the laboratory setting had better cognitive performance. In contrast, maternal emotional availability was a significant predictor of hot EF. As expected, increased maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was associated with worse cognitive performance but was not associated with inhibitory control. Identifying risk factors contributing to the differential developmental pathways of cool and hot EF will inform prevention strategies to promote healthy development in this and other unstudied rural, low income Southeast Asian farming communities.

Associations between mental health symptoms, trauma, quality of life and coping in adults living in Ukraine: A cross-sectional study a year after the 2022 Russian invasion.

We aimed to assess the mental health of adults living in Ukraine one year after onset of the Russo-Ukrainian war, along with quality of life and coping strategies. Quota sampling was used to collect online survey data from 2364 adults aged 18-79 years living in Ukraine from April 5, 2023 to May 15, 2023. Among adults living in Ukraine, 14.4 % had probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), another 8.9 % had complex PTSD (CPTSD), 44.2 % had probable depressive disorder, 23.1 % had anxiety disorder and 38.6 % showed significant loneliness. In adjusted models, the number of trauma events experienced during the war showed a dose-response association with PTSD/CPTSD and was associated with depressive disorder and anxiety disorder. Quality of life domains, particularly physical quality of life, were negatively associated with PTSD/CPTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and number of trauma events. Maladaptive coping was positively associated with depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, PTSD/CPTSD and loneliness. All quality of life domains were positively associated with using adaptive coping strategies. Mental health disorders are highly prevalent in adults living in Ukraine one year into the war. Policy and services can promote adaptive coping strategies to improve mental health and quality of life for increased resilience during war.

Placental transcriptome variation associated with season, location, and urinary prenatal pyrethroid metabolites of Thai farm-working women.

Prenatal exposure to pyrethroids is linked to adverse health effects in early life and proper placental function is critical to fetal development. This study explores the impact of prenatal pyrethroid exposure, as well as factors impacting exposure and effect, on the placental transcriptome, to understand pyrethroid exposures' relationship to placental function. The study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE) recruited pregnant farm-working women from two agricultural districts in the Chiang Mai province of Thailand between 2017 and 2019. This cohort was predominantly exposed to cypermethrin (type II), alongside pyrethroids such as cyfluthrin (type II) and permethrin (type I). In 253 participants, maternal urinary pyrethroid metabolites, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (PBA), cis-3-(2,2-Dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (CDCCA), and trans-3-(2,2-Dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (TDCCA) were measured in early, middle, and late pregnancy and adjusted for urinary creatinine. The placental transcriptome was analyzed using RNA-Seq. Using generalized linear regression, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the sum of each metabolite across pregnancy, as well as those associated with location of residence and season of birth. Pathway and upstream transcription factor analyses were performed to examine potential mechanisms associated with DEGs. Notably, TDCCA and CDCCA levels peaked in late pregnancy, with significant regional differences, particularly higher levels in the Fang region. Placental gene expression analysis showed no DEGs associated with individual metabolites at FDR<0.05. However, 251 DEGs by location, implicating immune response and oxidative phosphorylation pathways, were identified, while season of birth was associated with 2585 DEGs, over-represented in fibrosis signaling and metabolism pathways. Finally, transcription factor analysis identified 226 and 282 transcription factors associated with location and season, respectively, related to cell proliferation, differentiation, and the immune system. These alterations may have significant implications for fetal development and other pathologic processes, highlighting the importance of monitoring environmental exposures during pregnancy.

A Comparison of Ukrainian Hospital Services and Functions Before and During the Russia-Ukraine War.

Importance: Since the full-scale Russian invasion, hospitals in Ukraine have been compelled to close or operate at reduced capacity due to inadequate supplies, damage, or destruction caused by war. Objective: To analyze hospital services in Ukraine during the period before and after the Russian invasion. Design, Setting, and Participants: Of the 450 hospitals currently functioning in Ukraine, a cross-sectional survey was carried out with the participation of 74 hospitals from 12 oblasts. Hospital administrators responded to an online survey with questions on the use of hospital services. Data were abstracted from hospital databases for the prewar period (before February 23, 2022) and during the war (February 23, 2022, to May 30, 2023). Main Outcomes and Measures: Hospital services (including emergency services, preventive services, screenings, laboratory tests, obstetrics, telehealth, pharmacy, and rehabilitation services) were compared during the prewar and war periods. Results: Of 450 Ukrainian hospitals in operation, 74 hospitals (16.0%) across 12 oblasts provided data for the current analyses. During the war, daily emergency admissions increased to 2830, compared with 2773 before the war. At the same time, hospitals reported reduced laboratory testing (72 [97%] vs 63 [85%]), tobacco education (52 [70%] vs 36 [49%]), cancer screening (49 [66%] vs 37 [50%]), gynecological services (43 [58%] vs 32 [43%]), rehabilitation services (37 [50%] vs 27 [36%]), pharmacy services (36 [49%] vs 27 [36%]), and telehealth programs (33 [45%] vs 21 [28%]). Hospitals reported additional difficulties during the war, including disruptions in the supply chain for essential equipment and pharmaceuticals, shortages of laboratory test kits, delays in the delivery of crucial medications, and problems around appropriate medication storage due to power outages. Conclusions and Relevance: The ongoing war has inflicted profound devastation on Ukraine's hospitals. The findings of this cross-sectional survey offer valuable insights into the formidable challenges that hospitals confront in war-affected regions and underscore the pressing necessity for bolstering support to sustain and enhance hospital services during wartime.

An Evaluation of a Pesticide Training Program to Reduce Pesticide Exposure and Enhance Safety among Female Farmworkers in Nan, Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Although exposure to chemical pesticides is known to cause negative effects on human health, farmers in Ban Luang, Nan, Thailand, continue to use them regularly to protect crops. This study focused on mothers who were engaged in farm tasks and had children between the ages of 0 to 72 months, with the objective of reducing pesticide exposure. METHODS: This study was conducted from May 2020 to October 2020 in the Ban Fa and Ban Phi sub-districts in Ban Luang due to the high use of pesticides in these areas. A systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit 78 mothers exposed to pesticides. Thirty-nine mothers from Ban Fa district were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 39 from Ban Phi to the control group over a 3-month period. This study applied a pesticide behavioral change training program for the intervention group. To assess the effectiveness of the program, the study compared the results of a questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) and health beliefs related to pesticide exposure as well as the levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyryl cholinesterase (BChE) enzymes, biomarkers of exposure to pesticides, before and after the intervention using ANCOVA statistical test. Furthermore, to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention program, a paired t-test was used to investigate the in-home pesticide safety assessment. RESULTS: After the intervention, we observed no significant change in AChE; however, a significant improvement in BChE (p < 0.05), a marker of short-term recovery, was observed. Pesticides can cause a reduction in AChE and BChE, however, after eliminating pesticides, BChE takes a shorter time (about 30-50 days) to recover than AChE (around 90-120 days). Therefore, increases in the measured concentrations of AChE and/or BChE suggest the presence of less chemicals from pesticides in the human body. The study also found a significant improvement in KAP and beliefs about chemical pesticide exposure after the intervention (p < 0.05). Furthermore, using a paired t-test, we found a significant increase in pesticide safety practices (p < 0.05) in the intervention group and a borderline significant increase regarding in-home safety (p = 0.051) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, the constructs of the intervention program were effective and could be applied in other agricultural areas in less developed countries. However, due to time limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic, further studies should be conducted to enable data collection over a longer time, with a larger number of subjects providing the ChE levels for the non-agricultural season.

Alteration of peripheral blood monocyte gene expression in humans following diesel exhaust inhalation.

CONTEXT: Epidemiologic associations between acutely increased cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality and particulate air pollution are well established, but the effects of acute pollution exposure on human gene expression changes are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: In order to identify potential mechanisms underlying epidemiologic associations between air pollution and morbidity, we explored changes in gene expression in humans following inhalation of fresh diesel exhaust (DE), a model for particulate air pollution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen ethnically homogeneous (white males), young, healthy subjects underwent 60-min inhalation exposures on 2 separate days with clean filtered air (CA) or freshly generated and diluted DE at a concentration of 300 µg/m(3) PM(2.5). Prior to and 24 h following each session, whole blood was sampled and fractionated for peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) isolation, RNA extraction, and generation of cDNA, followed by hybridization with Agilent Whole Human Genome (4X44K) arrays. RESULTS: Oxidative stress and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway, as well as the coagulation system, were among hypothesized pathways identified by analysis of differentially expressed genes. Nine genes from these pathways were validated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to compare fold change in expression between DE exposed and CA days. Quantitative gene fold changes generated by real-time PCR were directionally consistent with the fold changes from the microarray analysis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Changes in gene expression connected with key oxidative stress, protein degradation, and coagulation pathways are likely to underlie observed physiologic and clinical outcomes and suggest specific avenues and sensitive time points for further physiologic exploration.

Agricultural Pesticide Management in Thailand: Situation and Population Health Risk.

As an agricultural country and one of the world's major food exporters, Thailand relies heavily on the use of pesticides to protect crops and increase yields. During the past decade, the Kingdom of Thailand has experienced an approximate four-fold increase in pesticide use. This increase presents a challenge for the Royal Thai Government in effectively managing and controlling pesticide use based upon the current policies and legal infrastructure. We have reviewed several key components for managing agricultural pesticides in Thailand. One of the main obstacles to effective pesticide regulation in Thailand is the lack of a consolidated, uniform system designed specifically for pesticide management. This deficit has weakened the enforcement of existing regulations, resulting in misuse/overuse of pesticides, and consequently, increased environmental contamination and human exposure. This article provides a systematic review of how agricultural pesticides are regulated in Thailand. In addition, we provide our perspectives on the current state of pesticide management, the potential health effects of widespread, largely uncontrolled use of pesticides on the Thai people and ways to improve pesticide management in Thailand.

Investigation of Prenatal Pesticide Exposure and Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Northern Thailand: Protocol for a Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to pesticides has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Gaps exist in the current literature about the timing and magnitude of exposures that result in these adverse outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE) cohort was established to investigate the impact of prenatal exposure to pesticides on early indicators of cognitive and motor skills, inhibitory control, emotion regulation, and memory that have been found to be important in the development of subsequent neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental diseases. The overarching goal is to find earlier predictors of potential adverse neurologic outcomes in order to enable earlier interventions that could result in better outcome prognoses. METHODS: Recruitment of this prospective, longitudinal birth cohort began in July 2017 and was completed in June 2019 in Chom Thong and Fang, 2 farming districts in Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand. Follow-up of the study participants is ongoing. During pregnancy, 7 questionnaires were administered. Time-resolved biospecimen samples were collected monthly (for urine) and during each trimester (for blood) during antenatal care visits. Medical records were abstracted. Infants were administered the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) test at 1 month of age. A total of 322 mother-child pairs completed the NNNS test. All children will be followed until 3 years of age and undergo a series of neurodevelopmental tests. We will complete several additional exposure related analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1298 women were screened, and of those, 394 (30.35%) women were enrolled. The mean gestational age at enrollment was 9.9 weeks (SD 2.6). Differences in literacy were observed between Chom Thong and Fang participants. In Fang, about 54 of 105 (51.4%) participants reported being able to read in Thai compared to about 206 of 217 (94.9%) participants in Chom Thong. The percentages were comparable for reporting to be able to write in Thai. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal birth cohort study will inform risk assessment standards for pregnant women in Thailand and other countries. Building awareness of how insecticide exposure during specific windows of pregnancy affects the neurodevelopmental trajectories of children in developing countries is a specific need recognized by the World Health Organization. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/31696.

The relationship between prenatal exposure to organophosphate insecticides and neurodevelopmental integrity of infants at 5-weeks of age.

Introduction: Organophosphate (OP) insecticides are among the most abundantly used insecticides worldwide. Thailand ranked third among 15 Asian countries in its use of pesticides per unit hectare and fourth in annual pesticide use. More than 40% of Thai women of childbearing age work on farms where pesticides are applied. Thus, the potential for pregnant women and their fetuses to be exposed to pesticides is significant. This study investigated the relationship between early, mid, and late pregnancy maternal urine concentrations of OP metabolites and infant neural integrity at 5 weeks of age. Method: We enrolled women employed on farms from two antenatal clinics in the Chiang Mai province of northern Thailand. We collected urine samples monthly during pregnancy, composited them by early, mid and late pregnancy and analyzed the composited samples for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of OP insecticides. At 5 weeks after birth, nurses certified in use of the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) completed the evaluation of 320 healthy infants. We employed generalized linear regression, logistic and Poisson models to determine the association between NNNS outcomes and DAP concentrations. All analyses were adjusted for confounders and included creatinine as an independent variable. Results: We did not observe trimester specific associations between DAP concentrations and NNNS outcomes. Instead, we observed statistically significant inverse associations between NNNS arousal (ß = -0.10; CI: -0.17, -0.002; p = 0.0091) and excitability [0.79 (0.68, 0.92; p = 0.0026)] among participants with higher average prenatal DAP concentrations across pregnancy. We identified 3 NNNS profiles by latent profile analysis. Higher prenatal maternal DAP concentrations were associated with higher odds of being classified in a profile indicative of greater self-regulation and attention, but arousal and excitability scores below the 50th percentile relative to US normative samples [OR = 1.47 (CI: 1.05, 2.06; p = 0.03)]. Similar findings are also observed among infants with prenatal exposure to substances of abuse (e.g., methamphetamine). Discussion: Overall, the associations between prenatal DAP concentrations and NNNS summary scores were not significant. Further evaluations are warranted to determine the implications of low arousal and excitability for neurodevelopmental outcomes of attention and memory and whether these results are transitory or imply inadequate responsivity to stimulation among children as they develop.

Urinary Concentrations of Dialkylphosphate Metabolites of Organophosphate pesticides in the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE).

BACKGROUND: Measurements of urinary dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites are often used to characterize exposures to organophosphate (OP) insecticides; however, some challenges to using urinary DAP metabolites as an exposure measure exist. OP insecticides have short biological half-lives with measurement in a single urine sample typically only reflecting recent exposure within the last few days. Because of the field staff and participant burden of longitudinal sample collection and the high cost of multiple measurements, typically only one or two urine samples have been used to evaluate OP insecticide exposure during pregnancy, which is unlikely to capture an accurate picture of prenatal exposure. METHODS: We recruited pregnant farmworker women in Chom Thong and Fang, two districts of Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand (N = 330) into the Study of Asian Women and their Offspring's Development and Environmental Exposures (SAWASDEE) from 2017 to 2019. We collected up to 6 serial urine samples per participant during gestation and composited the samples to represent early, mid, and late pregnancy. We measured concentrations of urinary DAP metabolites in the composited urine samples and evaluated the within- and between-participant variability of these levels. We also investigated predictors of OP insecticide exposure. RESULTS: DAP metabolite concentrations in serial composite samples were weakly to moderately correlated. Spearman correlations indicated that composite urine samples were more highly correlated in Fang participants than in Chom Thong participants. The within-person variances (0.064-0.65) exceeded the between-person variances for DETP, DEP, ∑DEAP, DMP, DMTP, ∑DMAP, ∑DAP. The intraclass correlations (ICCs) for the volume-based individual metabolite levels (ng/mL) ranged from 0.10 to 0.66. For ∑DEAP, ∑DMAP, and ∑DAP the ICCs were, 0.47, 0.17, 0.45 respectively. We observed significant differences between participants from Fang compared to those from Chom Thong both in demographic and exposure characteristics. Spearman correlations of composite samples from Fang participants ranged from 0.55 to 0.66 for the ∑DEAP metabolite concentrations in Fang indicating moderate correlation between pregnancy periods. The ICCs were higher for samples from Fang participants, which drove the overall ICCs. CONCLUSIONS: Collecting multiple (∼6) urine samples during pregnancy rather than just 1 or 2 improved our ability to accurately assess exposure during the prenatal period. By compositing the samples, we were able to still obtain trimester-specific information on exposure while keeping the analytic costs and laboratory burden low. This analysis also helped to inform how to best conduct future analyses within the SAWASDEE study. We observed two different exposure profiles in participants in which the concentrations and variability in data were highly linked to the residential location of the participants.

Occupational exposure to organic solvents during bridge painting.

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from bridge painting was measured in New York City and New Jersey during the summer and fall seasons from 2005 to 2007. The effect of painting activities (paint coating layer, confinement setup, and application method) and meteorological conditions (temperature, humidity, and wind speed) on solvent exposure to aromatic, ketone, ester, and alkane compounds were individually evaluated. Mixed-effect models were used to examine the combination effects of these factors on the air concentration of total VOCs as the individual compound groups were not present in all samples. Air concentration associated with spraying was not affected by meteorological conditions since spraying was done in a confined space, thus reducing their impact on solvent air concentration. The mixed models for brushing and rolling samples included two fixed factors, i.e. application method and temperature, and one random factor, i.e. sampling day. An independent dataset (daily air samples) was used to validate the mixed model constructed for brushing and rolling samples. The regression line of the predicted values and actual measurements had a slope of 1.32 +/- 0.15 for daily brushing and rolling samples, with almost all points being within the 95% confidence bands. The constructed model provides practical approaches for estimating the solvent exposure from brushing and rolling activities among construction painters. An adjusted mean air concentration derived from the activity-specific spray samples was the best estimate for that painting application.

The impact of environmental factors on nursing stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between environmental factors of odor, noise, light, and color and perceived stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. BACKGROUND: The physical work environment may positively or negatively influence nurses' stress, and stress may negatively impact their job satisfaction and intention to change jobs. METHODS: The research questions were answered using a descriptive, correlational design. The sample (n = 116) consisted of medical-surgical nurses working in acute-care settings. A 36-item questionnaire addressed odor, noise, light, color, perceived stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. RESULTS: Significant relationships were found between noise and perceived stress, perceived stress and job satisfaction, job satisfaction and turnover intention, and perceived stress and turnover intention. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses tend to overlook their physical environment and "do their job." Common environmental stressors in the work environment can be stressful to staff and influence job satisfaction and, ultimately, intention to change jobs. Mitigating or eliminating these environmental factors has the potential to improve staff satisfaction and retention. Stress influences nursing job satisfaction and, ultimately, intention to change jobs.

Three Doses of Vitamin D and Cognitive Outcomes in Older Women: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Vitamin D may affect cognitive performance, but previous studies are either short term or observational. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation on domain-specific cognitive measures in postmenopausal women. Overweight/obese women with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels less than 30 ng/mL were recruited. Vitamin D3 supplementation (600, 2,000, or 4,000 IU/d) was randomly assigned in a double-blinded manner for 1 year. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin (total and undercarboxylated), amyloid beta, parathyroid hormone, and estradiol were analyzed before and after supplementation. Cognitive tests were administered after treatment. The women (58 ± 6 years; body mass index, 30.0 ± 3.5 kg/m2) had a baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 22.6 ± 5.8 ng/mL that increased to 30.2 ± 5.6, 36.0 ± 4.9, and 40.8 ± 7.0 ng/mL in the 600, 2,000, and 4,000 IU/d groups, respectively (p < .001). Participants taking 2,000 IU/d compared to other doses performed better in learning and memory tests (p < .05), yet the 4,000 IU/d group had a slower reaction time compared to the 600 IU/d group. Multiple regression indicated that serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin predicted tasks associated with reaction time and executive function, whereas body mass index and parathyroid hormone negatively predicted reaction time and executive function (p ≤ .01). These data suggest that vitamin D has differential effects on domain-specific cognitive measures and that a higher dose may negatively affect reaction time.

Quantification of 1-aminopyrene in human urine after a controlled exposure to diesel exhaust.

Diesel exhaust (DE) is a significant source of air pollution that has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Many components in DE, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are present in the environment from other sources. 1-Nitropyrene appears to be a more specific marker of DE exposure. 1-Nitropyrene is partially metabolized to 1-aminopyrene and excreted in urine. We developed a practical, sensitive method for measuring 1-aminopyrene in human urine using a HPLC-fluorescence technique. We measured 1-aminopyrene concentrations in spot urine samples collected prior to and during 24 h following the start of 1 h controlled exposures to DE (target concentration 300 microg m(-3) as PM(10)) and clean air control. Time-weighted-average concentrations of urinary 1-aminopyrene were significantly greater following the DE exposure compared to the control (median 138.7 ng g(-1) creatinine vs. 21.7 ng g(-1) creatinine, p < 0.0001). Comparing DE to control exposures, we observed significant increases in 1-aminopyrine concentration from pre-exposure to either first post-exposure void or peak spot urine concentration following exposure (p = 0.027 and p = 0.0026, respectively). Large inter-individual variability, in both the concentration of urinary 1-aminopyrene and the time course of appearance in the urine following the standardized exposure to DE, suggests the need to explore subject variables that may affect conversion of inhaled 1-nitropyrene to urinary excretion of 1-aminopyrene.

Sensory and cognitive effects of acute exposure to hydrogen sulfide.

BACKGROUND: Some epidemiologic studies have reported compromised cognitive and sensory performance among individuals exposed to low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized a dose-response increase in symptom severity and reduction in sensory and cognitive performance in response to controlled H2S exposures. METHODS: In separate exposure sessions administered in random order over three consecutive weeks, 74 healthy subjects [35 females, 39 males; mean age (+/- SD) = 24.7 +/- 4.2; mean years of education = 16.5 +/- 2.4], were exposed to 0.05, 0.5, and 5 ppm H2S. During each exposure session, subjects completed ratings and tests before H2S exposure (baseline) and during the final hour of the 2-hr exposure period. RESULTS: Dose-response reduction in air quality and increases in ratings of odor intensity, irritation, and unpleasantness were observed. Total symptom severity was not significantly elevated across any exposure condition, but anxiety symptoms were significantly greater in the 5-ppm than in the 0.05-ppm condition. No dose-response effect was observed for sensory or cognitive measures. Verbal learning was compromised during each exposure condition. CONCLUSIONS: Although some symptoms increased with exposure, the magnitude of these changes was relatively minor. Increased anxiety was significantly related to ratings of irritation due to odor. Whether the effect on verbal learning represents a threshold effect of H2S or an effect due to fatigue across exposure requires further investigation. These acute effects in a healthy sample cannot be directly generalized to communities where individuals have other health conditions and concomitant exposures.

Negative affect and chemical intolerance as risk factors for building-related symptoms: a controlled exposure study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether differences in negative affect (NA) and chemical intolerance (CI) affect responses to chemical mixtures and stress in a controlled experimental model. METHODS: Participants were 130 nonsmoking, healthy women, recruited from a university community. Participants completed the Positive and Negative Affect Scale and the Chemical Odor Intolerance Index. In separate sessions 1 week apart, they were exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), VOCs with ozone (VOCs+O3), and ambient or filtered air with a 1-minute spike of VOCs (masked clean air). During each session, half of the participants performed a videotaped speech stressor and half performed simple arithmetic. Before, during, and after each session, salivary cortisol samples were collected, and subjects completed neurobehavioral tests and used a ratio scale to rate physical, cognitive, and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Relative to low NA or low CI, neither the high NA nor the high CI groups reported significantly more symptoms in response to any exposure condition. High NA subjects reported more anxiety symptoms in response to the speech stressor but did not have higher cortisol than low NA subjects. High NA subjects, however, were more distressed by the experimental conditions than were low NA subjects. Low NA subjects reported more severe anxiety in the VOCs+O3 with psychological stress condition. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects high in NA were more anxious after a stressor but were not more physically symptomatic in response to increasing chemical exposures. A disposition toward high or low CI did not result in a differential symptomatic response to controlled chemical exposures.