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  • Children exposed to air pollution are more likely to develop disease later in life

    March 1, 2021 /

    By Roberta Attanasio We have known for quite some time that the first years of life represent a unique “window of vulnerability”—exposures to environmental chemicals at this time influence cellular programming in ways that shape health and disease in later years. For example, recent research shows that there is a significant association between multiple prenatal and early life exposures to indoor pollutants and the degree of allergic sensitivity in 2-year old children. In other words, babies exposed to air pollution during prenatal life and for the first several moths after birth, up to 2 years of age, are at higher risk of developing allergic sensitivity. Now, results from a study published…

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  • Moon phases

    Is women’s menstrual cycle linked to that of the Moon? A new study may provide answers

    February 27, 2021 /

    By Roberta Attanasio In the rush of modern life, we often fail to notice the link between our biological rhythms and those of the natural world. In many animal species, the reproductive cycle is synchronized with different Moon phases—most likely because reproductive success is facilitated when different individuals within a species behave in the same way at the same time. The moon phases act like a guide to synchronize courtship, mating, and other reproductive behaviors. But what about women? To some people, a connection between the menstrual cycle and the Moon cycle is apparent because their length is very similar—about 29 days. Others argue that there is no connection, as the…

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  • Wildfires and fireworks may pollute the air inside your home

    February 24, 2021 /

    By Roberta Attanasio 4o years ago an article published in The New York Times highlighted the threat of indoor air pollution: “The air you breathe in your home or office may be hazardous to your health – more dangerous, in fact, than the outdoor air in the most polluted of cities. This is especially so during the cold months, when windows and doors are kept tightly shut and homes, schools and office buildings are made as airtight as possible to conserve energy.” While at the time awareness of the problem was still limited, we now know—on the basis of scientific evidence— that the air within homes and other buildings can be…

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    Carbon Dioxide Fertilization Effect and Greening of Deserts

    July 13, 2013

    Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants: Links to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

    April 11, 2015

    Fine Particulate Matter: The Global Toll

    October 18, 2013
  • Measles outbreak in Samoa: potential effects on COVID-19

    November 8, 2020 /

    By Roberta Attanasio Measles—one of the world’s most contagious diseases—induces immune amnesia, an anomaly of the immune system that results in increased susceptibility to infections by other pathogens. Not surprisingly, there are concerns globally about populations that have recently experienced measles outbreaks. These populations could be at elevated risk of developing more severe COVID-19 illness, resulting in increased mortality.    The emergence of the current COVID-19 pandemic in the first months of 2020 occurred closely after a global resurgence of measles. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by November 2019, measles case numbers had tripled compared with the same period in the previous year. Measles spreads easily when an infected…

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    The Global Threat of Substandard and Falsified Medicines

    July 20, 2013

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    May 27, 2013

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    October 9, 2013
  • The unborn baby: Healthy pregnant mothers exposed to air pollution from road traffic inhale toxic particles that may end up in the placenta

    September 28, 2020 /

    By Roberta Attanasio According to a recently published study, carbon and metal particles from road traffic, once inhaled, reach one of the many places where we would rather not find them—the unborn baby’s life support system, best known as placenta. Lead author Jonathan Grigg said: “Our study for the first time shows that inhaled carbon particulate matter in air pollution, travels in the blood stream, and is taken up by important cells in the placenta.” For the study, researchers analyzed placentas from 15 healthy non-smoking women, donated after the birth of their children. All women delivered healthy babies. However, they lived in an environment that exposed them to high levels…

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    Ozone, Plants and Heat Waves: Team Players in Adverse Health Effects

    July 23, 2013

    Carbon Dioxide Fertilization Effect and Greening of Deserts

    July 13, 2013

    Autism and Air Pollution Go Together

    June 18, 2013
  • Allergies in Young Children: Effects of Exposure to Multiple Air Pollutants During Prenatal and Early Life

    December 10, 2019 /

    By Roberta Attanasio The frequency of allergies in children keeps rising rapidly worldwide, but it’s not clear why. However, it is acknowledged that developing even one type of allergy early in life is almost like turning on a switch—it can start children on a path to more. “The progression of skin allergies to asthma and allergic rhinitis is called the allergic or atopic march. Atopic dermatitis is an itchy, inflammatory skin allergy that, before 1960, affected fewer than 3% of children; by the 2000s it had increased to around 20%. A child with atopic dermatitis is more likely to develop other allergic conditions or symptoms. For example, about 70% of…

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    Air Pollution: The Most Widespread Environmental Carcinogen

    October 19, 2013

    Clean Air: The Effects of U.S. Power Plant Carbon Standards on Human Health

    May 4, 2015

    750 Miles of Smog

    December 14, 2013
  • As coal mining declines, community mental health problems linger

    August 2, 2016 /

    By Roberta Attanasio The U.S. coal industry is in rapid decline, a shift marked not only by the bankruptcy of many mine operators in coal-rich Appalachia but also by a legacy of potential environmental and social disasters. As mines close, states, the federal government and taxpayers are left wondering about the costs of cleaning up the abandoned land, especially at mountaintop removal sites, the most destructive type of mining. As coal companies go bankrupt, this has left states concerned taxpayers may have to pick up the environmental cleanup costs. But there are also societal costs related to mountaintop removal mining’s impact on health and mental health. As an immunologist, I…

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    Global Threats: Water Scarcity and Uncertainty in the Estimates of Groundwater Availability

    June 28, 2015

    Electronic Waste: A Global, Interactive Map

    December 17, 2013

    Soils Are Threatened: Can We Halt The Problem?

    December 4, 2015
  • Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water?

    April 25, 2016 /

    By Roberta Attanasio The problem of contaminated tap water in the U.S. goes well beyond Flint—and also beyond lead. There are many more toxic chemicals in our drinking water that we like to believe. Communities in New York, New Hampshire and Vermont recently found elevated levels of PFOA, a suspected carcinogen, in their water supplies. PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is a synthetic perfluoroalkyl chemical used to manufacture nonstick pan coatings and water-resistant clothing. And, even more recent is the finding that water discharged from Burlington’s wastewater treatment plant into Lake Champlain—the source of drinking water for tens of thousands of people in the Burlington area—contains concentrations of pharmaceuticals high enough to reflect…

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    The Great Global Die-Off: Frogs and Lymphocytes

    October 28, 2013

    How protecting our oceans can help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges

    March 19, 2021

    Large Animal Extinctions and Soil Fertility

    August 13, 2013
  • Climate Change, Parasite Infections, and Immune Responses

    March 6, 2016 /

    By Roberta Attanasio Global climate change noticeably impacts human health—safe drinking water, sufficient food, and secure shelter are threatened by rising sea levels and severe weather events. Heat waves dramatically increase death rates not only from heat strokes, but also from complications arising from cardiovascular, respiratory, and cerebrovascular diseases. Although global warming may bring some localized benefits, such as fewer winter deaths in temperate climates and increased food production in certain areas, the overall health effects of a changing climate are likely to be overwhelmingly negative. For example, climate warming is predicted to increase the transmission of parasite infections. Now, results from a recent study show that host immunity can…

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    Global Threats: Soil and Topsoil Erosion and Degradation

    August 9, 2014

    Fine Particulate Matter: The Global Toll

    October 18, 2013

    How climate change and long-term drought caused the collapse of Bronze Age civilizations

    March 16, 2022
  • Nature, Health, and Things in Between

    November 7, 2015 /

    By Roberta Attanasio A decade ago, Richard Louv — author of the bestsellers Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle — coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe the increasing disconnection between children and the natural world. Such disconnection negatively affects health and spiritual well-being. The concept, which was later extended to adults, provides the basis for a working framework to reshape our lives. Louv argues that by tapping into the restorative powers of nature, we can boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds. Although results from several studies point out the deleterious health…

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    Climate Change, Parasite Infections, and Immune Responses

    March 6, 2016

    Childhood Poverty: Effects on the Immune System

    October 9, 2013

    Minute 319: The Delta of the Colorado River Gets a New Life

    March 19, 2014
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