Birth characteristics and risk of lymphoma in young children

BackgroundLymphoma is the third most common childhood malignancy and comprises two types, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The etiology of pediatric lymphomas is largely unknown, but has been suggested to have prenatal origins.MethodsIn this population-based study, California birth certificates were identified for 478 lymphoma cases diagnosed in children 0–5 years of age between 1988 and 2007; 208,015 controls frequency-matched by birth year were randomly selected from California birth records.ResultsCompared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic children had an increased risk of HL (odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.43 [1.14, 5.17]), and in particular, were diagnosed more often with the mixed cellularity subtype. For all types of lymphoma, we observed an about twofold risk increase with indicators for high risk pregnancies including tocolysis, fetopelvic disproportion and previous preterm birth. NHL risk doubled with the complication premature rupture of membranes (OR and 95% CI 2.18 [1.12, 4.25]) and HL with meconium staining of amniotic fluids (OR and 95% CI 2.55 [1.01, 6.43]).ConclusionThese data support previously reported associations between Hispanic ethnicity and HL and suggest that pregnancy related factors, such as intra-uterine infections and factors associated with preterm labor, may be involved in lymphoma pathogenesis.     

拟南芥AtJ2和AtJ3基因表达对环境胁迫的响应

用PCR的方法获得AtJ2和AtJ3基因的3'非编码区的核甘酸片段作为探针,Northern杂交结果表明:AtJ2和AtJ3基因在植物的根、茎、叶、花蕾、花和长角果中都有表达,并在植物整个生长周期中都有表达,但随着植株的衰老表达量有所下降.不同环境胁迫的实验结果表明:热激使AtJ2和AtJ3基因的表达迅速升高;冷胁迫也能诱导这两个基因表达的明显增加,但需要的时间比热激要长得多,达9 h;水分胁迫能引起AtJ2和AtJ3基因表达量的微弱增加;可盐胁迫对AtJ2和AtJ3基因的表达没有影响.说明AtJ2和AtJ3基因可能参与对除盐胁迫以外多种环境刺激的响应.     

Environmental hazards to children's health in the modern world

Patterns of illness in children have changed dramatically in the last century, and will continue to change in this century. The major diseases confronting children are now chronic and disabling conditions termed the "new pediatric morbidity"-asthma, leukemia and brain cancer, neurodevelopmental dysfunction and neurobehavioral abnormality, reproductive and systemic developmental problems. Chemical toxicants in the environment, poverty, and little or no access to health care are all factors contributing to life-threatening pediatric diseases; children are uniquely vulnerable to chemical toxicants because of their disproportionately heavy exposures and their inherent biological growth and development. Genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures during vulnerable periods of development are also important contributors to the etiologies of many diseases of childhood. It is vital that we develop a better understanding of the mechanisms and interactions between nutrition, infectious disease, environmental exposures, and genetic predisposition in order to develop better prevention methods. This paper briefly examines modern contributors to children's environmental health problems, efforts to date on both the regional and international level to address these challenges, and reflects upon major research needs that must be addressed in order to close the gaps that exist in our understanding of the relationship between environmental exposures and children's health.     

Environmental health research on hazards in the home and the duty to warn

When environmental health researchers study hazards in the home, they often discover information that may be relevant to protecting the health and safety of the research subjects and occupants. This article describes the ethical and legal basis for a duty to warn research subjects and occupants about hazards in the home and explores the extent of this duty. Investigators should inform research subjects and occupants about the results of tests conducted as part of the research protocol only if the information is likely to be accurate, reliable, and medically useful. Investigators should warn subjects and occupants about hazards they happen to discover while they are in the home, if a reasonable person would warn the subjects and occupants about those hazards. Investigators should not report illegal hazards discovered in the home to the authorities, unless those hazards constitute abuse or neglect of children or mentally disabled people living in the home. When investigators decide to warn research subjects and occupants about hazards in the home, they should take some steps to help them make effective use of this information, such as providing additional counselling or making a referral for remediation or medical treatment. Investigators should discuss these issues with research subjects during the informed consent process.     

Sensitization to secretoglobin and lipocalins in a group of young children with risk of developing respiratory allergy

Background

Multiple sensitizations in early age have been reported to be a risk for development of asthma. This study evaluates the emergence and evolution of IgE to aeroallergens among a cohort of children with physician-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and/or showing food allergy symptoms and to examine the relation to asthma development.

Methods

Three-hundred and four children (median age 13.4 months at entry) with food allergy symptoms and/or atopic dermatitis without asthma at inclusion were analysed for IgE antibodies against food-, indoor- and outdoor-allergens and pet allergen components and correlated to the individuals’ outcome on asthma inception.

Results

At 2 years of follow-up, physician-diagnosed asthma was 19.7% (n = 49) and asthma diagnosed any time was 24% (n = 67). History of persistent cough and asthma of father, combination of milk- and wheat-allergy symptoms and dual sensitization to house dust mite and Japanese cedar were independent risk factors for asthma. Sensitization to dog was the most prevalent inhalant allergen at entry. Asthma children had a higher proportion of sensitization to dog, cat and horse allergens at entry compared with non-asthma children. Being sensitized to both food, house dust mite and pet allergens was strongly associated with asthma (p = 0.0006). Component resolved diagnosis for dog and cat allergens showed that IgE antibodies to Can f 1 and Fel d 1 was common even at very young age.

Conclusions

Early sensitization to inhalant allergens increases the risk of developing asthma as well as having milk and wheat allergy symptoms. Sensitization to dog, was common at an early age despite dog ownership. Sensitization to secretoglobin and lipocalins and less to serum albumins explained the pet sensitization.

     

Giving leads to happiness in young children

Evolutionary models of cooperation require proximate mechanisms that sustain prosociality despite inherent costs to individuals. The "warm glow" that often follows prosocial acts could provide one such mechanism; if so, these emotional benefits may be observable very early in development. Consistent with this hypothesis, the present study finds that before the age of two, toddlers exhibit greater happiness when giving treats to others than receiving treats themselves. Further, children are happier after engaging in costly giving--forfeiting their own resources--than when giving the same treat at no cost. By documenting the emotionally rewarding properties of costly prosocial behavior among toddlers, this research provides initial support for the claim that experiencing positive emotions when giving to others is a proximate mechanism for human cooperation.     

Health risk assessment of residential exposure to cypermethrin among young children in agricultural communities in northeastern Thailand

This study aimed to identify factors associated with dermal exposure to cypermethrin and assess the health risks among young children in an agricultural community in Thailand. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the parents/caregivers of 58 children (aged 1–3 years). Wipe samples were analyzed for cypermethrin by gas chromatography-microelectron capture detection (GC-µECD). Health risk assessments were based on the cypermethrin concentration on the children’s hands and feet. Spearman’s correlation indicated significant associations among cypermethrin concentrations on the hands, feet, floors/wooden beds, and toys (rho?=?0.438–0.613, p-value <0.001). Cypermethrin concentrations on the hands were significantly and inversely correlated with the child’s caregiver being the child’s mother and insecticide use (p?<?0.01). Concentrations on the feet were significantly correlated with insecticide use (p?<?0.05) and showering (p?<?0.01). The hazard quotient calculated from dermal exposure via the hands and feet showed no risk for potential noncarcinogenic effects (5.586?×?10^?5 in the dry season and 4.301?×?10^?4 in the wet season). These findings suggest that young children might not be at risk for cypermethrin exposure through the dermal route. Residential exposure among young children may be reduced by improved hygiene. Health risk assessments of environmental insecticide exposure via the oral and inhalation routes require further investigation.     

Ability of young children to button and unbutton clothes.

From 2 years of age, children enjoy trying to button and unbutton their jacket. The clothing of the children at this stage should have the form which fits their motor skills so as to develop their interest in buttons and to help their study in manipulating buttons. We observed processes of dressing and actions of buttoning and unbuttoning at the nursery school, for children in the 3.3-5.9 year range. Also, we experimented about dressing mainly for children in 2 year range to observe the process of manipulating buttons. As factors of experiment, we took two buttonhole directions (vertical and across) and three sizes of buttons (1, 2, 3 cm). The direction of buttonholes was significant at the 5% level. We recognized that buttonholes in the vertical direction were easier for children to button. We came to the following conclusion: for an open front of children's clothing, buttons having a 2 cm diameter and buttonholes in the vertical direction were the best.