Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Exposure on Human Health: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have identified detectable levels of neonicotinoids (neonics) in the environment, adverse effects of neonics in many species including mammals, and pathways through which human exposure to neonics could occur, yet little is known about the human health effects of neonic exposure. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review sought to identify human population studies on the health effects of neonics. METHODS: Studies published in English between 2005 and 2015 were searched using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. No restrictions were placed on the type of health outcome assessed. Risk of bias was assessed using guidance developed by the National Toxicology Program\u27s Office of Health Assessment and Translation. RESULTS: Eight studies investigating the human health effects of exposure to neonics were identified. Four examined acute exposure: three neonic poisoning studies reported two fatalities (n=1280 cases) and an occupational exposure study of 19 forestry workers reported no adverse effects. Four general population studies reported associations between chronic neonic exposure and adverse developmental or neurological outcomes, including tetralogy of Fallot (AOR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.4), anencephaly (AOR 2.9, 95% CI: 1.0-8.2), autism spectrum disorder (AOR 1.3, 95% CrI: 0.78-2.2), and a symptom cluster including memory loss and finger tremor (OR 14, 95% CI: 3.5-57). Reported odds ratios were based on exposed compared to unexposed groups. CONCLUSIONS: The studies conducted to date were limited in number with suggestive but methodologically weak findings related to chronic exposure. Given the wide-scale use of neonics, more needs to be known about their human health effects

Prenatal exposures and exposomics of asthma

This review examines the causal investigation of preclinical development of childhood asthma using exposomic tools. We examine the current state of knowledge regarding early-life exposure to non-biogenic indoor air pollution and the developmental modulation of the immune system. We examine how metabolomics technologies could aid not only in the biomarker identification of a particular asthma phenotype, but also the mechanisms underlying the immunopathologic process. Within such a framework, we propose alternate components of exposomic investigation of asthma in which, the exposome represents a reiterative investigative process of targeted biomarker identification, validation through computational systems biology and physical sampling of environmental medi

Molecular characterization, expression in Escherichia coli, and epitope analysis of a two EF-hand calcium-binding birch pollen allergen, Bet v 4

Birch pollen belongs to the most potent elicitors of Type I allergic reactions in early spring. Using serum IgE from a birch pollen allergic patient, two cDNA clones (clone 6 and clone 13) were isolated hom a birch pollen expression cDNA library constructed in phage lambda gt11. Clone 6 encoded a 9.3 kD two EF-hand calcium-binding protein, designated Bet v 4, with significant end to end sequence homology to EF-hand calcium-binding allergens from weed and grass pollen. Recombinant Bet v 4, expressed as beta-galactosidase fusion protein, reacted with serum IgE from approximately 20% of pollen allergic individuals. Depletion of allergen-bound calcium by EGTA treatment lead to a substantial reduction of IgE-binding to Bet v 4, indicating that protein-bound calcium is necessary for the maintenance of IgE-epitopes. The greatly reduced IgE-binding capacity of clone 13, a Bet v 4 fragment that lacked the 16 N-terminal amino acids, indicated that the N-terminus contributes significantly to the proteins IgE-binding capacity. By IgE-inhibition experiments it was demonstrated that recombinant Bet v 4 shared IgE-epitopes with natural Bet v 4 and a homologous timothy grass pollen allergen. Recombinant Bet v 4 may therefore be considered as a relevant crossreactive plant allergen, which may be used for diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from multivalent plant allergies. (C) 1997 Academic Press

Development of a non-destructive micro-analytical method for stable carbon isotope analysis of transmission electron microscope (TEM) samples

The biogenicity of ancient morphological microfossil-like objects can be established by linking morphological (e.g. cell remnants and extracellular polymeric matrix) and chemical (e.g. isotopes, biomarkers and biominerals) evidence indicative of microorganisms or microbial activity. We have developed a non-destructive micro-analytical ion beam system capable of measuring with high spatial resolution the stable carbon isotope ratios of thin samples used for transmission electron microscopy. The technique is based on elastic scattering of alpha particles with an energy of 2.751 MeV. At this energy the C-13 cross section is enhanced relative to the pure Rutherford cross section for C-13, whereas the C-12 cross section is reduced relative to its pure Rutherford cross section. Here we report the initial results of this experimental approach used to characterize ultramicrotomed sections of sulfur-embedded graphite and microbial cells. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Sensitization to airborne and food allergens in Reykjavík (Iceland) and Uppsala (Sweden) - a comparative study.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldBACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of atopic sensitization and possible risk factors for allergies in two ethnically similar but geographically widely separated urban populations. METHODS: Data from two centers of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Uppsala, Sweden, were utilized. This included a structured interview, skin prick tests, and blood samples for total and specific IgE for common aeroallergens. Additional measurements of specific IgE antibodies to common food antigens were performed. Furthermore, data on social environment, lifestyle, air pollution, and meteorologic variables were compared. RESULTS: Skin prick tests were done on 540 individuals in Reykjavik and 527 in Uppsala. The overall prevalence of at least one positive prick test was 20.5% in Reykjavik and 34.2% in Uppsala (P<0.001). Total and specific IgE were measured in serum from 521 subjects in Reykjavik and 472 in Uppsala. The geometric mean value for total IgE was significantly lower in Reykjavik (13.4 kU/l) than in Uppsala (24.7 kU/l) (P<0.001). Similarly, the overall prevalence of at least one specific IgE to airborne allergens was 23.6% in Reykjavik and 32.3% in Uppsala (P<0.01). Specific IgE to a food panel (fx5) was measured in 502 subjects in Reykjavik, and 434 in Uppsala. In Reykjavik, 20 individuals (4.0%) were positive to one or more of the allergens in the food panel compared to 27 (6.0%) in Uppsala. When the single allergens present in the food panel were measured, altogether 16 positive reactions were found in Reykjavik compared to 47 in Uppsala (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sensitization to both airborne and food allergens was lower in Reykjavik than in Uppsala. The difference may be due to environmental and/or dietary differences or to some yet undefined factor