The health risks of consuming drinking water with elevated arsenic content of geochemical origin

High concentration of naturally-occurring arsenic in groundwater poses a significant risk to human health if this water is a drinking water resource. Chronic arsenic ingestion has been linked mainly to skin cancer, and a wide variety of non-cancer health impacts. Research conducted in Hungary shows that there is an excessive risk of arsenic-related diseases in populations consuming water that exceeds the 10 microgram/liter limit value. It is therefore important to understand the significance of reduction of arsenic concentration in drinking water and the size of the exposed population

SHMT1 1420 and MTHFR 677 variants are associated with rectal but not colon cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Association between rectal or colon cancer risk and serine hydroxymethyltransferase 1 (<it>SHMT1</it>) C1420T or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (<it>MTHFR</it>) C677T polymorphisms was assessed. The serum total homocysteine (HCY), marker of folate metabolism was also investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The <it>SHMT1 </it>and <it>MTHFR </it>genotypes were determined by real-time PCR and PCR-RFLP, respectively in 476 patients with rectal, 479 patients with colon cancer and in 461 and 478, respective controls matched for age and sex. Homocysteine levels were determined by HPLC kit. The association between polymorphisms and cancer risk was evaluated by logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex and body mass index. The population stratification bias was also estimated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no association of genotypes or diplotypes with colon cancer. The rectal cancer risk was significantly lower for <it>SHMT1 </it>TT (OR = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.89) and higher for <it>MTHFR </it>CT genotypes (OR = 1.4, 95%CI 1.06-1.84). A gene-dosage effect was observed for <it>SHMT1 </it>with progressively decreasing risk with increasing number of T allele (p = 0.014). The stratified analysis according to age and sex revealed that the association is mainly present in the younger (< 60 years) or male subgroup. As expected from genotype analysis, the <it>SHMT1 </it>T allele/<it>MTHFR </it>CC diplotype was associated with reduced rectal cancer risk (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.42-0.77 vs all other diplotypes together). The above results are unlikely to suffer from population stratification bias. In controls HCY was influenced by <it>SHMT1 </it>polymorphism, while in patients it was affected only by Dukes' stage. In patients with Dukes' stage C or D HCY can be considered as a tumor marker only in case of <it>SHMT1 </it>1420CC genotypes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A protective effect of <it>SHMT1 </it>1420T allele or <it>SHMT1 </it>1420 T allele/<it>MTHFR </it>677 CC diplotype against rectal but not colon cancer risk was demonstrated. The presence of <it>SHMT1 </it>1420 T allele significantly increases the HCY levels in controls but not in patients. Homocysteine could be considered as a tumor marker in <it>SHMT1 </it>1420 wild-type (CC) CRC patients in Dukes' stage C and D. Further studies need to clarify why <it>SHMT1 </it>and <it>MTHFR </it>polymorphisms are associated only with rectal and not colon cancer risk.</p

From science to policy: How European HBM indicators help to answer policy questions related to phthalates and DINCH exposure

Within the European Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Initiative HBM4EU we derived HBM indicators that were designed to help answering key policy questions and support chemical policies. The result indicators convey information on chemicals exposure of different age groups, sexes, geographical regions and time points by comparing median exposure values. If differences are observed for one group or the other, policy measures or risk management options can be implemented. Impact indicators support health risk assessment by comparing exposure values with health-based guidance values, such as human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs). In general, the indicators should be designed to translate complex scientific information into short and clear messages and make it accessible to policy makers but also to a broader audience such as stakeholders (e.g. NGO's), other scientists and the general public. Based on harmonized data from the HBM4EU Aligned Studies (2014-2021), the usefulness of our indicators was demonstrated for the age group children (6-11 years), using two case examples: one phthalate (Diisobutyl phthalate: DiBP) and one non-phthalate substitute (Di-isononyl cyclohexane-1,2- dicarboxylate: DINCH). For the comparison of age groups, these were compared to data for teenagers (12-18 years), and time periods were compared using data from the DEMOCOPHES project (2011-2012). Our result indicators proved to be suitable for demonstrating the effectiveness of policy measures for DiBP and the need of continuous monitoring for DINCH. They showed similar exposure for boys and girls, indicating that there is no need for gender focused interventions and/or no indication of sex-specific exposure patterns. They created a basis for a targeted approach by highlighting relevant geographical differences in internal exposure. An adequate data basis is essential for revealing differences for all indicators. This was particularly evident in our studies on the indicators on age differences. The impact indicator revealed that health risks based on exposure to DiBP cannot be excluded. This is an indication or flag for risk managers and policy makers that exposure to DiBP still is a relevant health issue. HBM indicators derived within HBM4EU are a valuable and important complement to existing indicator lists in the context of environment and health. Their applicability, current shortcomings and solution strategies are outlined

Roma és nem roma munkanélküliek közegészségügyi helyzete az Ózdi kistérségben | Public health issues of Roma and non-Roma unemployed persons in the Ózd microregion

Bevezetés: Korábbi tanulmányukban a szerzők megállapították, hogy az Ózdi kistérség munkanélkülijeinek közegészségügyi-járványügyi biztonsága és szociális helyzete az országos átlaghoz képest rosszabb. Célkitűzés: Korábbi vizsgálataik folytatásaként célul tűzték ki annak meghatározását, hogy az Ózdi kistérség roma munkanélkülijeinek az országos átlagnál jelentősen nagyobb aránya hozzájárul-e a kistérségnek az ország más térségeinél rosszabb közegészségügyi-járványügyi biztonságához, a kistérség munkanélkülijei tanulásra alig vagy nem alkalmas lakókörnyezeti higiénés helyzetéhez. Módszer: 2012-ben és 2013-ban 400 fő 18–61 éves roma és nem roma férfi és nő munkanélkülit kérdőíves-önkitöltéses-kikérdezéses, valamint foglalkozás-orvostani módszerekkel vizsgáltak; az egyes csoportokba – a jelzett sorrendben – 96, 97, 114, 93 személy tartozott. Eredmények: Megállapították, hogy egyrészt valamennyi vizsgált paramétercsoport (közegészségügyi-járványügyi biztonság, in-door lakókörnyezeti higiéné, tanulási feltételek) a romák szignifikánsan hátrányosabb helyzetét jelezte a magyar munkanélküliekhez viszonyítva; másrészt roma személyekben a vizsgált paraméterek értéke az életminőségét hátrányosan befolyásoló tényezőktől függött (munkanélküliség, mélyszegénység, alacsonyabb szintű iskolázottság, rövidebb élet). A térségben a magyar munkanélküliek 1/10–1/5-ének életkörülménye hasonlított a roma munkanélküliek átlagos életkörülményéhez. Következtetések: 1. A romák Ózdi kistérségen belüli nagyobb aránya hozzájárul a kistérség rosszabb közegészségügyi-járványügyi biztonságához, munkanélkülijeinek az ország más térségeiben élő munkanélküliekénél rosszabb életkörülményéhez. 2. A romák megfelelő életkörülményt biztosító foglalkoztatásához szükséges képzettség elérését lehetővé tevő tanulási feltételek megteremtése elengedhetetlen. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(15), 582–589. | Introduction: In their previous studies authors of the present work showed that public health situation and socioeconomic position of unemployed Roma persons in the Ozd microregion were well below the average of the whole Hungarian population. Aim: To continue these previous studies, the authors wanted to determine whether the greater proportion of the unemployed Roma persons in the Ózd microregion compared to the country average could contribute to the worse public health situation and the poor hygienic situation of the living environment of unemployed persons hardly or not suitable for learning. Method: Data from 400 unemployed Roma (96 males, 97 females) and caucasian non-Roma subjects (114 males, 93 females) obtained in 2012 and 2013 using self-completed and interview questionnaires were analysed. In addition, occupational medical examination methods were applied and the results were analysed. Results: It was found that all studied parameters (public health and epidemiological safety, in-door living environmental hygiene, conditions for learning) indicated significantly disadvantaged situation of the Roma compared to the non-Roma unemployed persons. There was a clear relationship between these examined parameters and other factors adversely influencing the quality of life of Roma persons (unemployment, deep poverty, lower level of education, shorter life span). Finally, the results showed that the quality of life conditions of the lowest 1/10, 1/5 of the non-Roma unemployed persons were comparable to those found in the average of Roma unemployed persons. Conclusions: The authors conclude that i) the greater proportion of unemployed Roma persons in the Ozd microregion contributes to the worse public health, epidemiological safety and the worse living conditions of unemployed persons in this regions of the country; ii) It would be essential to provide Roma persons with conditions appropriate for learning, which could enable them to get qualification necessary for employment. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(15), 582–589