How to wash pesticides off apples, according to science.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst tested a few different ways to wash chemical residue off of produce: the bleach solution that farmers dunk fruit in after harvest, a liquid slurry of baking soda, and plain old tap water. The baking soda was the best at removing the chemicals. The Verge.

Pesticide-laden produce tied to poor fertility outcomes.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Compared with women who ate less than one serving per day of high-pesticide residue fruits and vegetables, those who ate two to six daily servings had an 18% lower probability of clinical pregnancy and a 26% lower probability of live birth. MedPage Today.

The sneaky breast threats around you.
Friday, November 3, 2017

Tracking the connections between public health and climate change: 2017 report of The Lancet Countdown.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
The Lancet Countdown's 2017 report tracks 40 indicators across five areas, arriving at three key conclusions.

Maternal use of acetaminophen linked to ADHD in kids.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
A pregnant woman's use of acetaminophen may be associated with an increase in her child's risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the authors of a large, prospective study report. Medscape.

The Lancet Commission on pollution and health.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today.The Lancet.

Trump’s legacy: damaged brains.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Trump has been tragically effective at dismantling environmental and health regulations — so that Trump’s most enduring legacy may be cancer, infertility and diminished I.Q.s for decades to come. New York Times.

Neurodevelopmental and neurological effects of chemicals associated with unconventional oil and natural gas operations and their potential effects on infants and children.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Here we focus on five air and water pollutants [heavy metals (arsenic and manganese), particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), BTEX and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)] that have been associated with potentially permanent learning and neuropsychological deficits, neurodevelopmental disorders and neurological birth defects. Reviews on Environmental Health.

The United States of toxins.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Collectively, industries in the United States released more than 3.54 billion pounds of toxins into the environment in 2016. Nearly half of all Americans live in a county with unhealthy levels of air pollution, and 46% of America's lakes are too polluted to fish or swim in. ZeroHedge.

New report: Protecting Children's Health Where They Live, Learn, and Play.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
This report from the Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers, funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, provides infographics and highlights some of the progress the Children’s Centers have made toward reducing the burden of environmentally induced or exacerbated diseases placed on children.

These baby foods and formulas tested positive for arsenic, lead and BPA in new study.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
After about 530 baby food products were tested, researchers found 65% of products tested positive for arsenic, 36% for lead, 58% for cadmium and 10% for acrylamide. All of these chemicals pose potential dangers to developing infants. USA Today.

DNA damage found in veterans with Gulf War illness.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Researchers say they have found the "first direct biological evidence" of damage in veterans with Gulf War illness to DNA within cellular structures that produce energy in the body. ScienceDaily.

Call for survey respondents: Lead Exposures.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children is developing a comprehensive Federal Lead Strategy to inform policy makers about evidence gaps and steps needed to further reduce lead exposures of children in the United States. The deadline for completing the survey is November 21, 2017.

Why has the EPA shifted on toxic chemicals? An industry insider helps call the shots.
Monday, October 23, 2017
The EPA’s abrupt new direction on legacy chemicals is part of a broad initiative by the Trump administration to change the way the federal government evaluates health and environmental risks associated with hazardous chemicals, making it more aligned with the industry’s wishes. New York Times.

The EPA’s top 10 toxic threats, and industry’s pushback.
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Environmental Protection Agency has published a list of 10 toxic threats it will evaluate first under a law passed last year intended to crack down on hazardous chemicals. As the review begins, industry and other interest groups are urging the E.P.A. to limit any restrictions. New York Times.

Electricity from shale gas vs. coal: lifetime toxic releases from coal much higher.
Monday, October 23, 2017
The lifetime toxic chemical releases associated with coal-generated electricity are 10 to 100 times greater than those from electricity generated with natural gas obtained via fracking. EurekAlert!

Health concerns remain in aftermath of California wildfires.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Health officials warn that that the process of cleaning up fire-destroyed properties and searching for salvageable personal effects will lead to new health concerns. The fires' impacts on water quality, air quality and mental health may extend for long periods. Medpage Today.

Does eating right protect you from air pollution?
Sunday, October 22, 2017
A small but growing body of research suggests that Mediterranean-like fare—lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and nuts—may protect the body against the ravages of air pollution. New York Times.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Research Program: a model for multidisciplinary training of the next generation of environmental health scientists.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Looking to the future, the SRP will continue to evolve its training component by tracking and analyzing outcomes from its trainees by using tools such as the NIEHS CareerTrac database system, by increasing opportunities for trainees interested in research that goes beyond US boundaries, and in the areas of bioinformatics and data integration. Reviews on Environmental Health

New findings explain how UV rays trigger skin cancer.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Under normal conditions, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun activates melanocytes to release melanin, a pigment that protects the skin from the sun’s rays. But if melanocyte stem cells have surpassed a threshold of genetic mutations, a tumor can start to grow when those skin stem cells are activated by sun exposure. Cornell Chronicle.

Scientist at work: measuring public health impacts after disasters.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Analysis: Measuring public health impacts after disasters.Epidemiologists study disease outbreaks in populations to determine who gets sick and why. In the wake of this year's hurricanes, they are assessing impacts from mold, toxic leaks and other threats. The Conversation.

Report: pollution kills 3 times more than AIDS, TB and malaria combined.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Exposure to polluted air, water and soil caused nine million premature deaths in 2015, according to a report published Thursday in The Lancet. The nine million figure adds up to 16 percent of all deaths worldwide, killing three times more people than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. National Public Radio.

Job opening: New Haven, Connecticut.
Friday, October 20, 2017

The Yale School of Public Health is seeking candidates for a faculty position in the field of climate change and health.

Job opening: Blacksburg, Virginia.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Virginia Tech is hiring a new faculty member in risk assessment, cumulative impacts and/or environmental epidemiology.

Hidden costs of climate change running hundreds of billions a year.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Extreme weather, made worse by climate change, along with the health impacts of burning fossil fuels, has cost the US economy at least $240 billion a year over the past ten years, a new report has found. National Geographic.

New report: Environmental Justice for Delaware: Mitigating Toxic Pollution in New Castle County Communities.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
This his collaborative study between the Union of Concerned Scientists and other groups found that people in the seven communities along the industrial corridor in the northern portion of Delaware’s New Castle County face a substantial cumulative health risk from exposure to toxic air pollution and their proximity to polluting industrial facilities, hazardous chemical facilities, and contaminated waste sites.

Relationship between sugar and cancer is now clearer, scientists say.
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Researchers found yeast with high levels of the sugar known as glucose overstimulated the same proteins often found mutated inside human tumors, making cells grow faster. USA Today.

Exposure to air pollution before birth may shorten our lives.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Each increase of 5 micrograms per cubic meter in exposure was associated with 9% shorter cord blood telomeres and 13% shorter placental telomeres, the researchers estimated. The second trimester was a particularly vulnerable period, the researchers found. CNN.

New report: Eliminating Toxics in Carpet: Lessons for the Future of Recycling.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
In this report, the Healthy Building Network examined the composition of carpet waste, and innovations in carpet composition, to determine the potential health and environmental impacts of recycling and using these materials in new carpet.

Call for comments: Draft FY 2018-2022 Environmental Protection Agency Strategic Plan.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the availability of the Draft FY 2018-2022 EPA Strategic Plan for public review and comment. Comments must be received on or before October 31, 2017.

5 potentially harmful chemicals now banned from kids’ products.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Almost a decade after the Consumer Product Safety Commission was ordered to study the potential health affects of phthalates—chemicals often used in plastic products for children—and make recommendations on what further steps should be taken, the agency has voted to approve a final rule that prohibits manufacturers from selling items that have more than a minimal level of five of these chemicals. Consumer Reports.

Climate change may accelerate infectious disease outbreaks.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Aside from inflicting devastating natural disasters on often vulnerable communities, climate change can also spur outbreaks of infectious diseases like Zika , malaria and dengue fever, according to a new study by researchers at the University of  Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. CU Anschutz Today.

Report spotlights nitrate contamination in drinking water across the US. 
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Some recent research suggests that, over the long term, drinking water with nitrates at just half the U.S. limit raises cancer risks for children and adults. FairWarning.

Toxic firefighting chemicals 'the most seminal public health challenge'
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
A top United States environmental official has described the contamination of drinking water by toxic firefighting chemicals as the most seminal public health challenge of coming decades. The Guardian, United Kingdom.

Call for comments: Repeal of Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to repeal the Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units (EGUs), commonly referred to as the Clean Power Plan (CPP), as promulgated on October 23, 2015. Comments must be received on or before December 15, 2017.

NIOSH posts new chapter on biological monitoring for chemical exposures.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
The draft chapter concerns biological monitoring methods for chemical exposures, and the agency is accepting comments on it until December 15th.

Pruitt’s EPA: learning to love radiation.
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
In a startling public health reversal, the US Environmental Protection Agency is now declaring that radiation exposures equivalent to as many as 5,000 chest x-rays “usually result in no harmful health effects.” For decades, EPA had taken the position that “There is no known safe amount of radiation.” Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

Dalton Delan : A toxic cellphone stew.
Monday, October 16, 2017
From the day its minerals are dug to the night children scavenge Third World dumps for used circuitry, the cellphone is a Frankenstein. Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Cognitive decline, mortality, and organophosphorus exposure in aging Mexican Americans.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Our study provides support for the involvement of OP pesticides in cognitive decline and mortality among older Mexican Americans, possibly through biologic pathways involving adiponectin. Environmental Research.

Hazardous waste and health impact: a systematic review of the scientific literature.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
The evidence of causal relationship with hazardous waste was defined as limited for: liver, bladder, breast and testis cancers, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, asthma, congenital anomalies overall and anomalies of the neural tube, urogenital, connective and musculoskeletal systems, low birth weight and pre-term birth; evidence was defined as inadequate for the other health outcomes. Environmental Health.

The link between these everyday chemicals and breast cancer risk just got stronger.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
The researchers concluded that exposure to certain chemicals in the womb, during puberty, and through pregnancy all increase the risk of developing breast cancer later on.

When shipping petroleum, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions costs more than accidents.
Friday, October 13, 2017
As referenced in the paper, the costs are high. For instance, “Air pollution and greenhouse gas costs of moving a fully loaded 100-car train of crude oil from North Dakota to the Gulf Coast are about $150,000 and from North Dakota to the East Coast are $210,000. The total estimated air pollution and greenhouse gas damages for oil shipped by rail from North Dakota in 2014 exceed $420 million.” Carnegie Mellon University Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation.

Air pollution kills half a million people in Europe, EU agency reports.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Dirty air resulted in the premature deaths of more than 500,000 people in the European Union in 2014, the European Environment Agency reports. Pollution needs to be reduced, agency heads and environmentalists agree. Deutsche Welle.

Africa tops global hunger index, driven by war and climate shocks.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Global hunger has fallen more than a quarter since 2000, but conflict and climate shocks are beginning to reverse these gains, an annual global hunger index said on Thursday. Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Urgent action needed on 'disturbing' male fertility, cancer trends.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Niels Skakkebaek, professor of pediatric endocrinology and andrology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, notes that, when coupled with data showing that there has been an increase in the incidence of testicular cancer, the falls in sperm counts suggest that lifestyle factors may be to blame. Medscape.

Research details packaging chemicals found in food.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Chemicals from plastic and paper packaging are leaching into some foods sold in New Zealand, new research shows. Radio New Zealand, New Zealand.

The toxic air covering Northern California.
Friday, October 13, 2017
Beyond the fire zones, millions of Californians are facing a secondary, more insidious threat: polluted air, rife with tiny particles small enough to penetrate deep into the circulatory system. Those potentially deadly particles are creating unhealthy air as far as 70 miles away from fire zones. New Republic.

'Katrina brain': the invisible long-term toll of megastorms.
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Public health officials say that, in the aftermath of an extreme weather event like a hurricane, the toll of long-term psychological injuries builds in the months and years that follow, outpacing more immediate injuries and swamping the health care system long after emergency workers go home and shelters shut down. Politico.

State: water crisis didn’t affect Flint birth outcomes.
Thursday, October 12, 2017
A state health department analysis released Tuesday on birth outcomes in Flint found “no significant differences” before and after the city switched its water source—contrary to a study released last month by researchers in Kansas and West Virginia. Detroit News, Michigan.

New report: The First 100 Days and Counting Part 2—Pursuing a Toxic Agenda: Environmental Injustice in the Early Trump Administration
Thursday, October 12, 2017
In this series, EDGI authors systematically investigate historical precedents for Trump’s attack on the EPA, consequences for toxic regulation and environmental justice, and changes to the public presentation of climate change.

Child and teen obesity soars tenfold worldwide in 40 years—WHO report.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
The number of obese children and adolescents worldwide has jumped tenfold in the past 40 years and the rise is accelerating in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia, a major study said on Wednesday. Reuters.

Even thirdhand smoke poses health risks.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Thirdhand smoke clings to clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces long after the smoker is gone. Children and non-smoking adults are at risk of tobacco-related health problems when they inhale, swallow or touch substances containing thirdhand smoke. Philadelphia Tribune, Pennsylvania.

Agent Orange, exposed: how US chemical warfare in Vietnam unleashed a slow-moving disaster.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Some 45 million liters of over 73 million liters of chemical agents in a poisoned spray was Agent Orange, which contains the toxic compound dioxin. It has unleashed in Vietnam a slow-onset disaster whose devastating economic, health and ecological impacts that are still being felt today. The Conversation.

New video: Preventing Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Way Forward.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Health and Medicine Division, this video features several members of the committee that produced a report earlier this year on research in preventing cognitive decline. The video highlights the report's conclusions and recommendations.

Research shows health impacts and economic costs of wildland fires.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
The article estimated between 5,200 and 8,500 hospital admissions for respiratory problems per year and 1,500-2,500 hospital admissions for cardiovascular problems per year. Total deaths per year were estimated between 1,500 and 2,500 as well, with 2008 having the highest rate because of wildland fire-related PM2.5. US Environmental Protection Agency.

New book: Whitewash—The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
In this book, veteran journalist Carey Gillam uncovers one of the most controversial stories in the history of food and agriculture, exposing new evidence of corporate influence. 

Systematic review and meta-analysis of early-life exposure to bisphenol A and obesity-related outcomes in rodents.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Findings from our systematic review suggest that early-life exposure to BPA may increase adiposity and circulating lipid levels in rodents. Environmental Health Perspectives.

To predict how climate change will affect disease, researchers must fuse climate science and biology.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Researchers need new statistical models that incorporate both climate factors and the climate–disease relationship, accounting for uncertainties in both. Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs News.

Air pollution exposure on home-to-school walking routes reduces the growth of working memory in children.
Monday, October 9, 2017
The study, published recently in Environmental Pollution, found an association between a reduction in working memory and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon during the walking commute to and from school. However, authors stress that walking or cycling to school, which builds physical activity into the child’s daily routine, has health benefits that far outweigh any negative impact of air pollution. Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

EPA public hearings on proposal to withdraw proposed Clean Water Act restrictions for Pebble Mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed.
Monday, October 9, 2017
The US Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to withdraw its July 2014 Clean Water Act Proposed Determination that would, if finalized, have imposed restrictions on the discharge of dredged or fill material associated with the potential “Pebble Mine” in Alaska’s Bristol Bay watershed. The public comment and consultation period closes on October 17, 2017. 

Global kids study: More trees, less disease.
Monday, October 9, 2017
A University of Vermont-led study of 300,000 children in 35 nations says kids whose watersheds have greater tree cover are less likely to experience diarrheal disease, the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five. EurekAlert!

Courts thwart administration’s effort to rescind Obama-era environmental regulations.
Monday, October 9, 2017
The rapid-fire push by the Trump administration to wipe out significant chunks of the Obama environmental legacy is running into a not-so-minor complication: Judges keep ruling that the Trump team is violating federal law. New York Times.

Reconciling sex-related bias: an alternative method for data analysis.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Boys’ and girls’ different hormonal backdrops mean they may differ in their vulnerabilities to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The relationships between confounding factors and outcomes may themselves differ by sex, and failure to account for this may result in false estimates of effect. The authors of the study propose a new method to address this issue. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Honey tests reveal global contamination by bee-harming pesticides.
Monday, October 9, 2017
Honey from across the world is contaminated with potent pesticides known to harm bees, new research shows, clearly revealing the global exposure of vital pollinators for the first time. The Guardian, United Kingdom.

MEPs vote against exempting some pesticides.
Monday, October 9, 2017
The European Parliament on October 4 blocked a European Commission proposal that would have exempted some chemicals in pesticides from being identified as endocrine disruptors. MEPs said the Commission exceeded its mandate by proposing to exempt substances which are designed to attack an organism’s endocrine system. NewEurope.

2018 NEHA Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibitioncall for abstracts.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Conference tracks are listed on the website. The abstract submission deadline is October 31, 2017.

New report: Protecting the Health and Well-Being of Communities in a Changing Climate: Proceedings of a Workshop.
Friday, October 6, 2017
From the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine and the Roundtable on Population Health Improvement convened a workshop intended to explore the implications of climate change for population health and the potential strategies that public health, environmental health, health care, and related stakeholders can implement to help communities and regions address and mitigate health effects.

New report: The Economic Case for Climate Action in the United States.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
From Universal Ecological Fund (Fundación Ecológica Universal FEU-US), this report specifically focuses on economic losses caused by extreme and frequent weather events influenced by human-induced climate change and on health costs due to air pollution exposure caused by fossil fuel energy production.

Chemical ban impacts bedding, furniture.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The law basically bans the sale of any bedding or furniture containing more than the tiniest amount of a fire retardant chemical known as organohalogen. Providence Journal, Rhode Island.

Pollution and stress at home combine to spur more hyperactivity.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Children with higher exposure to PAHs and whose mothers experienced "persistent hardships" during both pregnancy and the early childhood years were most likely to have ADHD symptoms. Environmental Health News.

Workplace carcinogens lead to thousands of cancer cases in Ontario each year: study.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Workplace exposure to carcinogens such as diesel exhaust, asbestos and silica are together causing thousands of cancer cases in Ontario each year, says a new study that reveals the toll of on-the-job hazardous substances. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario.

A New Chapter in A Story of Health.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Follow Reiko and Toshio as they explore what may be contributing to their infertility and their options for interventions. Their story is the newest chapter in A Story of Health multimedia eBook, available at no cost. CHE Blog.

Puberty: early starters.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Girls are entering puberty at ever younger ages. What are the causes, and should we be worried? Nature.

Request for nominations to the Human Studies Review Board, 2017
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The US Environmental Protection Agency invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates with expertise in the area of bioethics and statistics to be considered for appointment to its Human Studies Review Board federal advisory committee. Nominations are due by October 16th.

How the benzene tree polluted the world.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Less than a century after the Benzolfest, scientists, led by Theo Colborn, synthesized the growing body of ecological research into a disquieting discovery. At trace levels of exposure, levels lower than workers’ acute exposures and equivalent to dosed drugs, many of these new classes of organic chemicals (including PCBs) could mimic, block, or disrupt the work of hormones, the biochemical signals that coordinate multicellular life. The Atlantic.

Call for applicants: Healthy Places for Healthy People.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
This program will provide selected communities with planning assistance to develop an implementable action plan that will focus on health as an economic driver and catalyst for downtown and neighborhood revitalization. This assistance is not a grant, and the program does not provide money directly to communities. Completed applications are due October 25, 2017.

Call for applicants: Local Foods, Local Places.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
This program aims to support projects that do all of the following:

The application deadline is October 25, 2017.

Call for proposals: Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
This funding encourages exploratory developmental research to improve Native American (NA) health. Such research can include conducting secondary analysis of existing data (such as databases that the Tribal Epidemiology Centers have collected); merge various sources of data to answer critical research questions; conduct pilot and feasibility studies; and/or assess and validate measures that are being developed and/or adapted for use in NA communities. Letters of intent are due by March 15, 2018.

New toolkit connects city planning and environmental justice.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
SB 1000, approved by Governor Jerry Brown last September, requires that cities consider environmental justice in their planning process—formally, that they create environmental justice “elements,” much like housing elements—as part of their general plan. Next City.

Can your home make you healthier—if it’s designed right?
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
The latest strategy is called behavioral, or active, design, in which architects use the CDC’s research to create workspaces and low-income housing that promote healthier diets and lifestyle. OZY.

Lung cancer mortality of residents living near petrochemical industrial complexes: a meta-analysis.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Our meta-analysis gathering current evidence suggests only a slightly higher risk of lung cancer mortality among residents living nearby PICs, albeit such association didn’t receive statistically significance. Environmental Health.

Long-term exposure to road traffic noise and nitrogen dioxide and risk of heart failure: a cohort study.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide and road traffic noise was associated with higher risk of heart failure, mainly among men, in both single- and two-pollutant models. High exposure to both pollutants was associated with highest risk. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Call for proposals: 2017 Community Change Grants.
Monday, October 2, 2017
This program will award grantees up to $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play. The deadline is November 10th.

Regulatory changes ignore science, threaten public health: new administration eroding progress.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Goodwin and his colleagues at the Center for Progressive Reform have been tracking the administration’s regulatory moves since January, documenting about 130 proposed rules specifically related to health, safety, consumer protection and the environment that were on the fall 2016 regulatory agenda that have since been dropped without explanation. The Nation's Health.

Associations of fats and carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 18 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Higher carbohydrate intake was associated with an increased risk of total mortality but not with the risk of cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular disease mortality. Intake of total fat and each type of fat was associated with lower risk of total mortality. Higher saturated fat intake was associated with lower risk of stroke. Total fat and saturated and unsaturated fats were not significantly associated with risk of myocardial infarction or cardiovascular disease mortality. Lancet.

Non-toxic flame retardant enters market, study suggests.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Unlike previous flame retardants made of chemicals containing chlorine, the new material is non-toxic and effective, researchers say. ScienceDaily.

New report: Mold in the Home and School: Guidance for Parents, Families and School Personnel.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
This fact sheet from the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units outlines guidance for managing mold and exposures to mold.

New report: 10 Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
The Health Impact Project convened a team of researchers to assess the implications of childhood lead exposure and perform a cost-benefit analysis of various policies to prevent and respond to the problem. 

New report: The First Thousand Days: An Evidence Paper.
Monday, September 25, 2017

This review is the most comprehensive attempt yet to incorporate all known sources of influence on development. Collectively, evidence relating to three key concepts transforms our understanding of how children develop and highlights the critical role of the very earliest stages of development—the first 1000 days. From the Centre for Community Child Health.

High manganese levels tied to low IQ scores in children.
Monday, September 25, 2017
The findings show that increased manganese in hair samples was significantly associated with declines in full-scale IQ, processing speed, and working memory. Psych Central.

CDC: Mosquitoes carrying Zika, other deadly viruses could breed in 75 percent of the US.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Researchers found that the dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses in particular represented a “growing public health threat in parts of the United States where they are established,” according to the journal’s report. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia.

Early-life home environment and risk of asthma among inner-city children.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Among high-risk inner-city children, higher indoor levels of pet or pest allergens in infancy were associated with lower risk of asthma. The abundance of a number of bacterial taxa in house dust was associated with increased or decreased asthma risk. Prenatal tobacco smoke exposure and higher maternal stress and depression scores in early life were associated with increased asthma risk. Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.

Breathing dirty air may increase kidney disease risk.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Exposure to fine particulate air pollution appeared to be associated with an increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to a newly published epidemiologic study involving close to 2.5 million U.S. veterans followed for approximately 8 years. Medpage Today.

Alzheimer's prevention: a summary of what we know.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Risk-factor prevention should target diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, cerebrovascular disease, depression, psychological and physiologic stress, traumatic brain injury, sleep-disordered breathing, smoking, alcohol abuse, high blood pressure, renal disease, alcohol and tobacco use, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, sedentary life style, and diet. These potentially modifiable risk factors, when combined, account for more than 50% of AD risk, based on observational studies. Medscape.

What does the environment have to do with autism?
Sunday, September 24, 2017
In a recent review of epidemiological studies of nongenetic autism factors, researchers reported advanced parental age and preterm birth as established risk factors, and short intervals between pregnancy and prenatal exposure to air pollution as potential risk factors. They concluded that a long list of other possible environmental factors, including endocrine disruption, warrant further investigation.

Blood lead and preeclampsia: a meta-analysis and review of implications.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Blood lead concentrations in pregnant women are a major risk factor for preeclampsia, with an increase of 1 μg/dL associated with a 1.6% increase in likelihood of preeclampsia, which appears to be the strongest risk factor for preeclampsia yet reported. Environmental Research.

WSU researchers see popular herbicide affecting health across generations.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
After Skinner and his colleagues exposed pregnant female rats to the herbicide, their first generation of offspring showed no ill effects but weighed less than rats in a control group. Rats bred from them had increased testis disease and altered sperm production, mammary tumors in both males and females, early-onset puberty in the males and lower-weight females. Their offspring—the great-grand offspring of the exposed rats—also had more testis disease, plus early onset puberty in females, hyperactivity and leaner male and female physiques. WSU News.

Climate change is already making people sicker.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
At the end of last week, the United Nations released a report showing that global hunger is on the rise; 38 million more people were affected in 2016 than in 2015. Climate change and the spread of violent conflicts are responsible, the report says. Other research has linked climate change to increased respiratory problems, poor nutrition, the spread of infectious disease and even anxiety. Time.

Nicotine in e-cigs: addictive, increases your risk of heart disease.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Even after puffing on just one electronic cigarette with nicotine, healthy non-smokers were found to have a biological marker known to increase the risk of heart disease in tobacco users, according to a new study. The Verge.

Lead in Flint water increased fetal deaths, lowered fertility, study says.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
According to Slusky and Grossman's analysis, after Flint switched its water source from Detroit to Flint River water in 2014, the city's fertility rates decreased by 12 percent among Flint women, while fetal death rates rose by 58 percent. Flint Journal, Michigan.