GW Expert Available to Comment on Update of Toxic Substances Control Act

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Study Links Chemicals Widely Found in Plastics and Processed Food to Elevated Blood Pressure in Children and Teens

Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the bodies of most Americans. Once perceived as harmless, phthalates have come under increasing scrutiny. A growing collection of evidence suggests dietary exposure to phthalates (which can leech from packaging and mix with food) may cause significant metabolic and hormonal abnormalities, especially during early development.

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Exposure to Traffic Pollution Increases Asthma Severity in Pregnant Women

Air pollutants from traffic are associated with increased asthma severity levels in pregnant asthmatic women, according to a new study.

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Study Finds Air Pollution and Noise Pollution Increase Cardiovascular Risk

Both fine-particle air pollution and noise pollution may increase a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to German researchers who have conducted a large population study, in which both factors were considered simultaneously.

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Prenatal Exposure to Traffic is Associated with Respiratory Infection in Young Children

Living near a major roadway during the prenatal period is associated with an increased risk of respiratory infection developing in children by the age of 3, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.

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Expert on Animal to Human Diseases: Drivers of Disease Outbreaks Linked to Agricultural and Environmental Change

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Jekyll Into Hyde: Breathing Auto Emissions Turns HDL Cholesterol From 'Good' to 'Bad"

Academic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries. The finding, shown in mice, reveals how car emissions activate the early cell and tissue damage called oxidation that causes inflammation leading to hardening of the arteries and HDL cholesterol may play a key role.

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New University of Haifa Study Shows: Global Warming Trends Contribute to the Spread of West Nile Virus to New Regions in Europe

Global warming trends have a significant influence on the spread of West Nile Virus to new regions in Europe and neighboring countries, where the disease wasn’t present before, according to a new study by the University of Haifa. The study was commissioned by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Stockholm, which belongs to the European Union. The study found that rising temperatures have a more considerable contribution than humidity, to the spread of the disease, while the effect of rain was inconclusive.

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Elevated Cadmium Levels Linked to Liver Disease

People with higher levels of cadmium in their urine — evidence of chronic exposure to the heavy metal found in industrial emissions and tobacco smoke — appear to be nearly 3.5 times more likely to die of liver disease than those with lower levels, according to a study by Johns Hopkins scientists.

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