Prenatal Research: Exposure to common flame retardants may contribute to attention problems in children ♦ Climate change negatively affects birth weight,

Climate change negatively affects birth weight, From melting glaciers to increasing wildfires, the consequences of climate change and strategies to mitigate such consequences are often a hotly debated topic. A new study adds to the ever-growing list of negative impacts climate change can have on humans--low birth weight.

Exposure to common flame retardants may contribute to attention problems in children Prenatal exposure to some flame retardants that have been widely-used in consumer products is associated with attention problems in young children. A new study is the first to show the effects of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers on children's development at ages 3, 4, and 7 years. Children with the highest exposure to certain PBDEs had approximately twice the number of maternally-reported attention problems . PBDEs are found in textiles, plastics, wiring, and furniture containing polyurethane foam to reduce flammability.

Highly sensitive sensors successfully map electrical patterns of embryonic heart Highly sensitive sensors have been successfully used to map the electrical activity of the developing heart in embryos, scientists report. The study could lead to new insight into how heart rhythm abnormalities develop.

Prenatal maternal iron intake shown to affect the neonatal brain In the first study of its kind, researchers have shown that inadequate maternal iron intake during pregnancy exerts subtle effects on infant brain development.

2/22/15 Health News: Few U.S. Consumers Handle Chicken Safely-- Transfusion approach may save to lives-- Flame retardants cause liver problems-- Compounded hormones risks

Few U.S. Consumers Handle Chicken Safely, Raising Food Poisoning Risks  Many Americans may be handling poultry products in their kitchens improperly, posing a potentially serious risk of food poisoning, according to new research. Researchers outlined the results of a nationally representative web food survey of U.S. Continue Reading

Innovative transfusion approach has potential save to lives  A new nationwide, multi-site study in the United States may help save hundreds of lives among trauma patients with major bleeding. The study compared two different methods of blood transfusion, and found that one approach gave patients a significantly better chance of survival  Continue Reading

Severe asthma: Gallopamil confirmed as a therapeutic approach The clinical efficacy of gallopamil in 31 patients with severe asthma has been demonstrated through a new study. This chronic disease is characterized by remodeling of the bronchi, which exacerbates the obstruction of the airways already seen in 'classic' asthma. In contrast to the reference treatment, gallopamil has proved capable of reducing the bronchial smooth muscle mass.  Continue Reading

Flame retardants found to cause metabolic, liver problems Chemicals used as synthetic flame retardants that are found in common household items such as couches, carpet padding, and electronics have been found to cause metabolic and liver problems that can lead to insulin resistance, which is a major cause of obesity, according to new research Continue Reading

More women now using compounded hormones without understanding the risks From 28 percent to 68 percent of women using hormones at menopause take compounded, so-called 'bioidentical' hormones, but women don't understand the risks of these unapproved, untested treatments, shows an analysis of two large surveys Continue Reading

9/19/14 Health News: How Can Diet Sodas Make You Fat? ♦ Flame Retardants in Baby Food ♦ WHITE HOUSE ADDRESSES ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Study: Flame Retardants in Baby Food Well Below Unsafe Levels

The levels of flame retardant chemicals in baby food from the U.S. and China are well below levels considered unsafe, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental  Continue Reading

How Can Diet Sodas Make You Fat? Study May Explain It

Researchers trying to figure out whether artificial sweeteners really do make people fat think they’ve found a possible explanation — they may disrupt the bacteria in some people’s bodies. Continue Reading

WHITE HOUSE CALLS FOR ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

The White House announced Thursday its plan to make the issue of antibiotic resistance a national priority. In addition to the release of the much-anticipated President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report on antibiotic resistance requested by President Obama last year, there are three related developments. These include an Executive Order (EO)... Continue Reading

Some Flame Retardants May Cause Cancer.

By determining the three-dimensional structure of proteins at the atomic level, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered how some commonly used flame retardants, called brominated flame retardants (BFRs), can mimic estrogen hormones and possibly disrupt the body’s endocrine system. BFRs are chemicals added or applied to materials to slow or prevent the start or growth of fire.

The brominated flame retardant TBBPA is shown, in this 3-D image, binding

to the active site of an estrogen metabolizing enzyme (pink), interfering

with the body’s natural release of estrogen (transparent grey).

This particular study helps us literally see what brominated flame retardants do when they get in the body — they interfere with the body’s natural hormones,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences part of NIH, and National Toxicology Program “Using the 3-D imaging capabilities, we can see the flame retardants binding, or attaching, to proteins like estrogens do.”

Birnbaum, a leading researcher on flame retardants, joined with biologists and a postdoctoral fellow to look more closely at one of the most widely used BFRs, tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Earlier this year, NTP released data from a two-year bioassay study, showing that TBBPA caused tumors in rats and mice.

“Having chemicals act like estrogen or other hormones disrupts how the endocrine system works,” said Birnbaum. “In this case, the ability of flame retardants to bind to and inhibit an enzyme that metabolizes estrogen, called estrogen sulfotransferase, could result in the body having too much estrogen.”

The endocrine system is one of the body’s main communication networks and is responsible for controlling and coordinating numerous functions, including growth and development, reproduction, response to stress, and energy levels.

There are hundreds of different flame retardants. They are often broken into categories based on chemical structure and properties. BFRs, such as TBBPA, are used in many types of consumer goods, including electronics, furniture, building materials, and automobiles. Flame retardants are being studied, because of their pervasiveness and concerns about possible adverse effects on the endocrine, immune, reproductive, and nervous systems.

Although many flame retardants are no longer produced in the United States, some BFRs are slow to break down and can persist in the environment. People can be exposed to flame retardants through a variety of ways, including diet; consumer products in the home, car, and workplace; and house dust.

“Although there is much more to be learned about how these chemicals and their metabolites impact different systems in the body, every piece of the puzzle helps increase our understanding of the effects they may have.” Researchers, like Pedersen and Birnbaum, hope the findings will be used by companies to develop safer alternatives to current flame retardants.