Impactos en la salud y el medio ambiente: actualización del conocimiento científico

La Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de Salud Laboral y la Secretaría de la Mujer de CC.OO. organizaron esta jornada patrocinada por el Instituto Sindical de Trabajo, Ambiente y Salud (ISTAS), en el marco del Primer Ciclo de Invierno de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Fundación General de la Universidad Complutense.El término disruptor endocrino sirve para definir a cualquier compuesto químico, contaminate medio ambiental, que una vez incorporado a un organismo vivo afecta al equilibrio hormonal. Aunque cualquier sistema hormonal puede verse implicado, la información disponible sobre la disrupción hormonal causada por los agonistas-antagonistas de las hormonas sexuales femeninas o estrógenos, es cualitativa y cuantitativamente muy superior

La exposición humana a lindano en Sabiñánigo (Huesca)

En el 2011 la Organización Mundial de la Salud estimaba que cerca de un quinto de los 12 millones de casos de cáncer que se diagnostican cada año en el mundo se podían atribuir a exposiciones ambientales y ocupacionales. Además señalaba que son especialmente vulnerables a estas exposiciones ambientales las mujeres embarazadas, el embrión/feto y los niños, tanto o más que la población ocupacionalmente expuesta. Durante las últimas décadas los estudios epidemiológicos han ido mostrando una serie de efectos adversos ligados a la exposición a determinados contaminantes químicos, como son el declive de la calidad y cantidad del semen, el aumento de la incidencia de defectos en el tracto genitourinario masculino y los problemas testiculares, los cánceres de próstata y de mama, la afección de la homeostasis tiroidea, la diabetes y obesidad y los problemas en el desarrollo neuronal infantil, sugiriendo como denominador común los problemas de la homeostais hormonales. De hecho, diversos estudios en animales han confirmado el efecto de numerosas sustancias químicas antropogénicas sobre el desarrollo, la reproducción y la homeostasis endocrina1 identificándose estos compuestos químicos como disruptores endocrinos

Biomarcadores de exposición, susceptibilidad y efecto

Ponencia presentada en la VII Conferencia sobre disruptores endocrinos, dentro de la sesión 4: "Disruptores endocrinos y salud", La Coruña, 27-28 de octubre 2005.Para la estimación de la exposición a disruptores endocrinos (DE) se ha sugerido que la cuantificación en muestras biológicas del los compuestos químicos de interés se debería acompañar del estudio de las interacciones existentes entre ellos y el desarrollo de biomarcadores de susceptibilidad y efecto

Informe: agricultura y salud

Informe para la Comisión agroforestal, Ecologistas en Acción-AndalucíaLa exposición humana a los pesticidas es un hecho bien documentado durante los últimos treinta años, si bien sus consecuencias reales empiezan a entreverse ahora en que más de una generación ha sufrido ese acoso medio ambiental. Frente a la información, relativamente rica, de los efectos agudos de los pesticidas obtenida del estudio detallado de casos de intoxicación generalmente de trabajadores profesionalmente expuestos, llama la atención la parquedad de datos sobre los efectos a largo plazo de tal exposición. Las consecuencias de la exposición a pesticidas sobre el desarrollo y la funcionalidad de diferentes órganos y sistemas no es bien conocida, pero abarca desde alteraciones neurológicas, reproductivas, endocrinas o inmunológicas, a fracasos funcionales y alteraciones importantes del comportamiento

The E-screen assay: a comparison of different MCF7 cell stocks

This work was reported in part at the meeting "Estrogens in the Environment III: Global Health Implications," held in Washington, DC, 9-11 January 1994.MCF7 human breast cancer cells have been studied extensively as a model for hormonal effects on breast cancer cell growth and specific protein synthesis. Because the proliferative effect of natural estrogen is considered the hallmark of estrogen action, it was proposed that this property be used to determine whether a substance is an estrogen. The E-screen assay, developed for this purpose, is based on the ability of MCF7 cells to proliferate in the presence of estrogens. The aim of our study was to characterize the response of four MCF7 cell stocks (BUS, ATCC, BB, and BB104) and determine which of them performed best in the E-screen test. The four stocks assayed were distinguishable by their biological behavior. In the absence of estrogen, MCF7 BUS cells stopped proliferating and accumulated in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle; estrogen receptors increased, progesterone receptors decreased, and small amounts of pS2 protein were secreted. Of all the MCF7 stocks tested, MCF7 BUS cells showed the highest proliferative response to estradiol-17B: cell yields increased up to sixfold over those of nontreated cells in a 144-hr period. The differences between estrogen-supplemented and nonsupplemented MCF7 BUS cells were due mostly to G(0)/G(1) proliferative arrest mediated by charcoal dextran-srripped serum. MCF7 BUS cell stocks and others showing a similar proliferative pattern should be chosen for use in the E-screen test, or,whenever a proliferative effect of estrogen is to be demonstrated.This work was supported by grant 94/1551 from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Spanish Ministry of Health

Determination of bisphenol A and related aromatic compounds released from bis-GMA-based composites and sealants by high performance liquid chromatography

'Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives'Most of the composites and sealants used in dentistry are based on bisphenol A diglycidylether methacrylate (Bis-GMA). Reports revealed that in situ polymerization is not complete and that free monomers can be detected by different analytic methods. Concerns about the estrogenicity of bisphenol A (BPA) and other aromatic components leached from commercial products have been expressed. We studied biphenolic components eluted from seven composites and one sealant before and after in vitro polymerization using HPLC and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and we investigated how pH modifications affect the leaching of these components. We found BPA (maximal amount 1.8 microg/mg dental material), its dimethacrylate derivative (Bis-DMA, 1.15 microg/mg), bisphenol A diglycidylether (6. 1 microg/mg), Bis-GMA (2.0 microg/mg), and ethoxylate and propoxylate of bisphenol A in media in which samples of different commercial products were maintained under controlled pH and temperature conditions. Our results confirm the leaching of estrogenic monomers into the environment by Bis-GMA-based composites and sealants in concentrations at which biologic effects have been demonstrated in in vivo experimental models. The main issue with implications for patient care and dentist responsibility is to further determine the clinical relevance of this estrogenic exposure.This research was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Health (FIS, 95/1959) and Education (CICYT, AMB97-1194-CE) and the Andalusian Regional Government, Department of Health (Consejeria de Salud, JA, 231/97)

Comparative Analysis of Body Composition Profiles among Latin American Elite Football Players Competing in Europe

It has yet to be determined whether or not differences in body composition are present between international and non-international players playing in the same elite professional club competition. Similarly, it is not yet clear whether or not differences in body composition exist according to ethnic origin where relative homogeneity is to be expected among soccer players. There is no single anthropometric profile that guarantees sporting success, as success differs according to characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess the description, comparison, and correlation of the body composition profile of Latin American professional football players playing in European leagues. The sample was composed of 238 Latin American male football players from European professional football leagues of Spain, Italy and England during the competition period. Differences were found in all measures. The present study shows that Latin American professional football players playing in Europe have significant differences in various body composition variables such as weight, height, WC, skinfold and fat values. This means that training, revalidation after injury and the classifications of sporting performance carried out in European football clubs should take into account the anthropometric difference between Latin American and European players.High Council for Sports (CSD), Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport, through the NESA NETWORK "Spanish Network of Sports Care at Altitude" 19/UPB/2

The Use of Human Biomonitoring to Assess Occupational Exposure to PAHs in Europe: A Comprehensive Review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the chemicals with proven impact on workers’ health. The use of human biomonitoring (HBM) to assess occupational exposure to PAHs has becomemore common in recent years, but the data generated need an overall viewtomake themmore usable by regulators and policymakers. This comprehensive review, developed under theHuman Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) Initiative,was based on the literature available from2008–2022, aiming to present and discuss the information on occupational exposure to PAHs, in order to identify the strengths and limitations of exposure and effect biomarkers and the knowledge needs for regulation in the workplace. The most frequently used exposure biomarker is urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-PYR), ametabolite of pyrene. As effect biomarkers, those based on the measurement of oxidative stress (urinary 8-oxo-dG adducts) and genotoxicity (blood DNA strand-breaks) are themost common. Overall, a need to advance newharmonized approaches both in data and sample collection and in the use of appropriate biomarkers in occupational studies to obtain reliable and comparable data on PAHexposure in different industrial sectors,was noted. Moreover, the use of effect biomarkers can assist to identify work environments or activities of high risk, thus enabling preventive riskmitigation andmanagementmeasures.European Unions' Horizon 2020 research and innovation Programme 733032 HBM4E

Produtos químicos como desreguladores endócrinos: substâncias danosas e como devem ser testadas

This paper presents an analysis of the opinions of different groups from: scientists, international regulatory bodies, non-governmental organizations and industry; with an interest in the problem of identifying chemical substances with endocrine disrupting activity. There is also discussion of the consequences that exposure to endocrine disruptors may have for human health, considering concrete issues related to: the estimation of risk; the tests that must be used to detect endocrine disruption; the difficulties to establish an association between dose, time of exposure, individual susceptibility, and effect; and the attempts to create a census of endocrine disruptors. Finally, it is proposed that not all hormonal mimics should be included under the single generic denomination of endocrine disruptors.This work was supported by a 96/99 Research Project from the Health Department of the Andalusian Regional Government