Chemical Exposure as Etiology in Developmental Origin of Adult Onset Human Cancer

Chemical exposures are in principle preventable causes of cancer. People are exposed to chemicals already during fetal period and the possibility of disturbances in human development by chemical compounds leading to cancer later in life has been proven by diethylstilbestrol. The mechanisms most probably include epigenetic modifications of promoter regions of key genes. The world-wide increases in cancer incidence and concurrent increase in the number and quantity of chemicals in the environment raises concerns about a link between these two. Developmental origin and related mechanisms in chemically induced human cancer are worth pursuing

Kannattaako nikotiinikorvaushoito raskauden aikana?

Suomessa raskaana olevista naisista tupakoi edelleen 13 %, vaikka tupakoinnin tiedetään olevan hy‑ vin vahingollista sikiölle. Raskaana olevia äitejä rohkaistaan monin tavoin tupakoinnin lopettamiseen, ja he lopettavatkin tupakoinnin yhä useammin raskauden aikana. Nikotiiniriippuvuuden hoitoon kuu‑ luu ensisijaisesti vieroitusohjaus. Kaikkein turvallisinta olisi lopettaa tupakointi ilman nikotiinikorvaus‑ tuotteita, koska nikotiinikin on haitallista sikiölle. Jos tämä ei onnistu, on nikotiinikorvaushoito vieroi‑ tusohjaukseen yhdistettynä tehokasta raskauden aikana ja parhaimmillaan vähentää sikiön altistumista nikotiinille. Nikotiinikorvaushoidolla näyttää olevan osin samankaltaisia haittoja kuin tupakoinnillakin verrattuna siihen, ettei käytetä mitään nikotiinituotteita. Siksi nikotiinikorvaushoidollakin tulee tavoitella nikotiinista vieroittumista ja sikiön nikotiinialtistuksen vähentämistä.</p

Nikotiinin vaikutus sikiön kasvuun ja kehitykseen

• Ihmissikiö voi altistua nikotiinille äidin raskaudenaikaisen tupakoinnin tai muiden nikotiinia sisältävien tuotteiden käytön kautta. • Nikotiini on myrkyllinen ja tärkein riippuvuutta aiheuttava aine tupakansavussa. • Koe-eläimillä altistuminen nikotiinille ennen syntymää haittaa monien tärkeiden elinten, varsinkin ­keskushermoston ja keuhkojen,kehittymistä. • Tieto nikotiinin sikiötoksisuudesta myös ihmisillä on lisääntymässä. • Sikiöhaittojen taustalla on muun muassa epigeneettisiä muutoksia, jotka voivat periytyä sukupolvelta toiselle.</p

Standardised regression coefficient as an effect size index in summarising findings in epidemiological studies

Background: a major problem in evaluating and reviewing the published findings of studies on the association between a quantitative explanatory variable and a quantitative dependent variable is that the results are analysed and reported in many different ways. To achieve an effective review of different studies, a consistent presentation of the results is necessary. This paper aims to exemplify the main topics related to summarising and pooling research findings from multivariable models with a quantitative response variable. Methods: we outline the complexities involved in synthesising associations. We describe a method by which it is possible to transform the findings into a common effect size index which is based on standardised regression coefficients. To describe the approach we searched original research articles published before January 2012 for findings of the relationship between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and birth weight of new-borns. Studies with maternal PCB measurements and birth weight as a continuous variable were included. Results: the evaluation of 24 included articles reveled that there was variation in variable measurement methods, transformations, descriptive statistics and inference methods. Research syntheses were performed summarizing regression coefficients to estimate the effect of PCBs on birth weight. A birth weight decline related to increase in PCB level was found. Conclusions: the proposed method can be useful in quantitatively reviewing published studies when different exposure measurement methods are used or differential control of potential confounding factors is not an issue

Smoking during pregnancy in Finland : Trends in the MATEX cohort

First Published October 17, 201

Kuopio birth cohort - design of a Finnish joint research effort for identification of environmental and lifestyle risk factors for the wellbeing of the mother and the newborn child

Background: A Finnish joint research effort Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo) seeks to evaluate the effects of genetics, epigenetics and different risk factors (medication, nutrition, lifestyle factors and environmental aspects) during pregnancy on the somatic and psychological health status of the mother and the child. Methods: KuBiCo will ultimately include information on 10,000 mother-child pairs who have given their informed consent to participate in this cohort. Identification of foetal health risk factors that can potentially later manifest as disease requires a repository of relevant biological samples and a flexible open up-to-date data handling system to register, store and analyse biological, clinical and questionnaire-based data. KuBiCo includes coded questionnaire-based maternal background data gathered before, during and after the pregnancy and bio-banking of maternal and foetal samples that will be stored in deep freezers. Data from the questionnaires and biological samples will be collected into one electronic database. KuBiCo consists of several work packages which are complementary to each other: Maternal, foetal and placental metabolism and omits; Paediatrics; Mental wellbeing; Prenatal period and delivery; Analgesics and anaesthetics during peripartum period; Environmental effects; Nutrition; and Research ethics. Discussion: This report describes the set-up of the KuBiCo and descriptive analysis from 3532 parturients on response frequencies and feedback to KuBiCo questionnaires gathered from June 2012 to April 2016. Additionally, we describe basic demographic data of the participants (n = 1172). Based on the comparison of demographic data between official national statistics and our descriptive analysis, KuBiCo represents a cross-section of Finnish pregnant women.Peer reviewe