Larsen et al., 2017
Larsen, A. E., Gaines, S. D., & Deschenes, O.; “Agricultural pesticide use and adverse birth outcomes in the San Joaquin Valley of California;” Nature Communications, 2017, 8(1), 302; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00349-2.
ABSTRACT:
Virtually all agricultural communities worldwide are exposed to agricultural pesticides. Yet, the health consequences of such exposure are poorly understood, and the scientific literature remains ambiguous. Using individual birth and demographic characteristics for over 500 000 birth observations between 1997-2011 in the agriculturally dominated San Joaquin Valley, California, we statistically investigate if residential agricultural pesticide exposure during gestation, by trimester, and by toxicity influences birth weight, gestational length, or birth abnormalities. Overall, our analysis indicates that agricultural pesticide exposure increases adverse birth outcomes by 5-9%, but only among the population exposed to very high quantities of pesticides (e.g., top 5th percentile, i.e., ~4200 kg applied over gestation). Thus, policies and interventions targeting the extreme right tail of the pesticide distribution near human habitation could largely eliminate the adverse birth outcomes associated with agricultural pesticide exposure documented in this study.The health consequences of exposure to pesticides are uncertain and subject to much debate. Here, the effect of exposure during pregnancy is investigated in an agriculturally dominated residential area, showing that an increase in adverse birth outcomes is observed with very high levels of pesticide exposure. FULL TEXT
Mesnage, 2019
Mesnage, Robin, “Effects of dietary exposures to pesticide residues on the gut microbiome,” 2019, Presented 10/30/2019 at the London Microbiome Meeting 2019, Great Hall, King’s College London Strand Campus.
SUMMARY:
The gut microbiota: a major player in the toxicity of environmental pollutants?
Yamamoto et al., 2016
Yamamoto, M., Fujita, M., Mori, C., & Hata, A.; “Survey of motivation to participate in a birth cohort;” Journal of Human Genetics, 2016, 61(9), 787-791; DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2016.60.
ABSTRACT:
For a longitudinal prospective cohort study to be successful, participants’ motivation to provide information must be maintained. Therefore, this study aimed to identify items that effectively promote participants’ motivation. Questionnaires were mailed to 4541 mothers and expectant mothers in Chiba Prefecture, Japan who participated in a nationwide birth cohort. A total of 2387 (52.6%) responses were received. The following items were identified as primary motivating factors among our cohort: “benefits to the participants’ children”, “monetary compensation” and “contribution to a better future environment”. More than 30% of the respondents expressed a lack of understanding regarding the study purpose and requirements for participation. About 14% were concerned about the leakage of personal information, and 13% felt burdened by having to make a long-term commitment to the study. Cluster analysis identified four groups, two of which, one with extremely low levels of motivation and the other motivated by only money or goods, lacked an understanding of the study and tended to be concerned about the associated risks and burdens. Participants in these groups were considered to be at a high risk of dropout. Therefore, implementing measures to provide participants with a better understanding of cohort studies could lead to more successful results. FULL TEXT
Oya et al., 2016
Oya, N., Ito, Y., Hioki, K., Asai, Y., Aoi, A., Sugiura, Y., Ueyama, J., Oguri, T., Kato, S., Ebara, T., & Kamijima, M.; “Quantitative analysis of organophosphate insecticide metabolites in urine extracted from disposable diapers of toddlers in Japan;” International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2017, 220(2 Pt A), 209-216; DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.10.009.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND AIM:
Epidemiological studies linking insecticide exposure to childhood neurodevelopment have been gaining global attention. Despite the rapid development of the central nervous system in early childhood, studies regarding the biological monitoring of insecticide exposure in diapered children are limited. In this study, we aimed to clarify the concentrations of organophosphate (OP) insecticide metabolites in toddler urine extracted from disposable diapers in Japan.
METHODS:
We recruited diapered children from the Aichi regional subcohort participants of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) at the time of their 18-month checkup. A total of 116 children wore designated disposable diapers overnight, which were then sent as refrigerated cargo. The urine was extracted from the diapers using acetone and analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to determine the concentrations of six dialkyl phosphates (DAPs) (i.e., dimethyl phosphate [DMP], dimethyl thiophosphate [DMTP], dimethyl dithiophosphate [DMDTP], diethyl phosphate [DEP], diethyl thiophosphate [DETP], and diethyl dithiophosphate [DEDTP]). DAP absorption into the diapers was quantified to calculate the urinary DAP concentrations.
RESULTS:
The DAP recovery using the developed method yielded between 54.2% (DEDTP) and 101.4% (DEP). Within-run precision expressed as the relative standard deviation was between 2.4% and 14.7%, and the between-run precision was between 3.1% and 8.5%. A Bland-Altman analysis confirmed the agreement between the results obtained by the developed method and by the measurements for the corresponding urine without diaper absorption. The geometric means (GM) of urinary DMP, DMTP, DMDTP, DEP, DETP, and total DAPs (SigmaDAP) were 3.6, 3.9, 0.9, 6.0, 0.6mug/L, and 137.6 nmol/L, respectively. The GM of DEDTP was not calculated due to its low detection rate.
CONCLUSIONS:
We successfully established a method to measure the DAP concentrations in urine extracted from diapers and this is the first report of these pesticide concentrations in diapered children in Japan.
Michikawa et al., 2018
Michikawa, T., Nitta, H., Nakayama, S. F., Yamazaki, S., Isobe, T., Tamura, K., Suda, E., Ono, M., Yonemoto, J., Iwai-Shimada, M., Kobayashi, Y., Suzuki, G., Kawamoto, T., Japan, Environment, & Children’s Study, Group; “Baseline Profile of Participants in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS);” Journal of Epidemiology, 2018, 28(2), 99-104; DOI: 10.2188/jea.JE20170018.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), known as Ecochil-Chosa in Japan, is a nationwide birth cohort study investigating the environmental factors that might affect children’s health and development. We report the baseline profiles of the participating mothers, fathers, and their children.
METHODS:
Fifteen Regional Centres located throughout Japan were responsible for recruiting women in early pregnancy living in their respective recruitment areas. Self-administered questionnaires and medical records were used to obtain such information as demographic factors, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, environmental exposure, medical history, and delivery information. In the period up to delivery, we collected bio-specimens, including blood, urine, hair, and umbilical cord blood. Fathers were also recruited, when accessible, and asked to fill in a questionnaire and to provide blood samples.
RESULTS:
The total number of pregnancies resulting in delivery was 100,778, of which 51,402 (51.0%) involved program participation by male partners. Discounting pregnancies by the same woman, the study included 95,248 unique mothers and 49,189 unique fathers. The 100,778 pregnancies involved a total of 101,779 fetuses and resulted in 100,148 live births. The coverage of children in 2013 (the number of live births registered in JECS divided by the number of all live births within the study areas) was approximately 45%. Nevertheless, the data on the characteristics of the mothers and children we studied showed marked similarity to those obtained from Japan’s 2013 Vital Statistics Survey.
CONCLUSIONS:
Between 2011 and 2014, we established one of the largest birth cohorts in the world.
Michikawa et al., 2015
Michikawa, T., Nitta, H., Nakayama, S. F., Ono, M., Yonemoto, J., Tamura, K., Suda, E., Ito, H., Takeuchi, A., Kawamoto, T., Japan, Environment, & Children’s Study, Group; “The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS): A Preliminary Report on Selected Characteristics of Approximately 10 000 Pregnant Women Recruited During the First Year of the Study;” Journal of Epidemiology, 2015, 25(6), 452-458; DOI: 10.2188/jea.JE20140186.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) is an ongoing nationwide birth cohort study launched in January 2011. In this progress report, we present data collected in the first year to summarize selected maternal and infant characteristics.
METHODS:
In the 15 Regional Centers located throughout Japan, the expectant mothers were recruited in early pregnancy at obstetric facilities and/or at local government offices issuing pregnancy journals. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the women during their first trimester and then again during the second or third trimester to obtain information on demographic factors, physical and mental health, lifestyle, occupation, environmental exposure, dwelling conditions, and socioeconomic status. Information was obtained from medical records in the first trimester and after delivery on medical history, including gravidity and related complications, parity, maternal anthropometry, and infant physical examinations.
RESULTS:
We collected data on a total of 9819 expectant mothers (mean age = 31.0 years) who gave birth during 2011. There were 9635 live births. The selected infant characteristics (singleton births, gestational age at birth, sex, birth weight) in the JECS population were similar to those in national survey data on the Japanese general population.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our final birth data will eventually be used to evaluate the national representativeness of the JECS population. We hope the JECS will provide valuable information on the impact of the environment in which our children live on their health and development. FULL TEXT
Kawamoto et al., 2014
Kawamoto, T., Nitta, H., Murata, K., Toda, E., Tsukamoto, N., Hasegawa, M., Yamagata, Z., Kayama, F., Kishi, R., Ohya, Y., Saito, H., Sago, H., Okuyama, M., Ogata, T., Yokoya, S., Koresawa, Y., Shibata, Y., Nakayama, S., Michikawa, T., Takeuchi, A., Satoh, H., & Working Group of the Epidemiological Research for Children’s Environmental, Health; “Rationale and study design of the Japan environment and children’s study (JECS);” BMC Public Health, 2014, 14, 25; DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-25.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
There is global concern over significant threats from a wide variety of environmental hazards to which children face. Large-scale and long-term birth cohort studies are needed for better environmental management based on sound science. The primary objective of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), a nation-wide birth cohort study that started its recruitment in January 2011, is to elucidate environmental factors that affect children’s health and development.
METHODS/DESIGN:
Approximately 100,000 expecting mothers who live in designated study areas will be recruited over a 3-year period from January 2011. Participating children will be followed until they reach 13 years of age. Exposure to environmental factors will be assessed by chemical analyses of bio-specimens (blood, cord blood, urine, breast milk, and hair), household environment measurements, and computational simulations using monitoring data (e.g. ambient air quality monitoring) as well as questionnaires. JECS’ priority outcomes include reproduction/pregnancy complications, congenital anomalies, neuropsychiatric disorders, immune system disorders, and metabolic/endocrine system disorders. Genetic factors, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors will also be examined as covariates and potential confounders. To maximize representativeness, we adopted provider-mediated community-based recruitment.
DISCUSSION:
Through JECS, chemical substances to which children are exposed during the fetal stage or early childhood will be identified. The JECS results will be translated to better risk assessment and management to provide healthy environment for next generations. FULL TEXT
Iwai-Shimada et al., 2018
Iwai-Shimada, M., Nakayama, S. F., Isobe, T., Michikawa, T., Yamazaki, S., Nitta, H., Takeuchi, A., Kobayashi, Y., Tamura, K., Suda, E., Ono, M., Yonemoto, J., Kawamoto, T., Japan, Environment, & Children’s Study, Group; “Questionnaire results on exposure characteristics of pregnant women participating in the Japan Environment and Children Study (JECS);” Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine, 2018, 23(1), 45; DOI: 10.1186/s12199-018-0733-0.
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) is a nation-wide birth cohort study investigating environmental effects on children’s health and development. In this study, the exposure characteristics of the JECS participating mothers were summarized using two questionnaires administered during pregnancy.
METHODS:
Women were recruited during the early period of their pregnancy. We intended to administer the questionnaire during the first trimester (MT1) and the second/third trimester (MT2). The total number of registered pregnancies was 103,099.
RESULTS:
The response rates of the MT1 and MT2 questionnaires were 96.8% and 95.1%, respectively. The mean gestational ages (SDs) at the time of the MT1 and MT2 questionnaire responses were 16.4 (8.0) and 27.9 (6.5) weeks, respectively. The frequency of participants who reported “lifting something weighing more than 20 kg” during pregnancy was 5.3% for MT1 and 3.9% for MT2. The Cohen kappa scores ranged from 0.07 to 0.54 (median 0.31) about the occupational chemical use between MT1 and MT2 questionnaires. Most of the participants (80%) lived in either wooden detached houses or steel-frame collective housing. More than half of the questionnaire respondents answered that they had “mold growing somewhere in the house”. Insect repellents and insecticides were used widely in households: about 60% used “moth repellent for clothes in the closet,” whereas 32% applied “spray insecticide indoors” or “mosquito coil or an electric mosquito repellent mat.”
CONCLUSIONS:
We summarized the exposure characteristics of the JECS participants using two maternal questionnaires during pregnancy. FULL TEXT
Ishitsuka et al., 2017
Ishitsuka, K., Nakayama, S. F., Kishi, R., Mori, C., Yamagata, Z., Ohya, Y., Kawamoto, T., & Kamijima, M.; “Japan Environment and Children’s Study: backgrounds, activities, and future directions in global perspectives;” Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 2017, 22(1), 61; DOI: 10.1186/s12199-017-0667-y.
ABSTRACT:
There is worldwide concern about the effects of environmental factors on children’s health and development. The Miami Declaration was signed at the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting in 1997 to promote children’s environmental health research. The following ministerial meetings continued to emphasize the need to foster children’s research. In response to such a worldwide movement, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOE), launched a nationwide birth cohort study with 100,000 pairs of mothers and children, namely, the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), in 2010. Other countries have also started or planned large-scale studies focusing on children’s environmental health issues. The MOE initiated dialogue among those countries and groups to discuss and share the various processes, protocols, knowledge, and techniques for future harmonization and data pooling among such studies. The MOE formed the JECS International Liaison Committee in 2011, which plays a primary role in promoting the international collaboration between JECS and the other children’s environmental health research projects and partnership with other countries. This review article aims to present activities that JECS has developed. As one of the committee’s activities, a workshop and four international symposia were held between 2011 and 2015 in Japan. In these conferences, international researchers and government officials, including those from the World Health Organization, have made presentations on their own birth cohort studies and health policies. In 2015, the MOE hosted the International Advisory Board meeting and received constructive comments and recommendations from the board. JECS is a founding member of the Environment and Child Health International Birth Cohort Group, and has discussed harmonization of exposure and outcome measurements with member parties, which will make it possible to compare and further combine data from different studies, considering the diversity in the measurements of variables between the studies. JECS is expected to contribute to the international environmental health research community and policy-making. More international collaboration would enhance our understanding of the possible environmental causes of diseases and disabilities. FULL TEXT
Hashimoto et al., 2017
Hashimoto, K., Yasumura, S., Fujimori, K., Kyozuka, H., Wakaki, Y., Sato, A., Hanzawa, H., Yokoyama, T., Sato, T., & Hosoya, M.; “The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) in Fukushima Prefecture-A progress report on the enrollment stage;” Fukushima Journal of Medical Science, 2017, 63(2), 57-63; DOI: 10.5387/fms.2016-17.
ABSTRACT:
The Japan Environment and Children’s Study is an ongoing nationwide birth cohort study that is being conducted at 15 regional centers throughout Japan. The recruitment of subjects in the study area within Fukushima Prefecture, which includes Fukushima City, Minami Soma City and Futaba County, was begun on January 31, 2011 with the cooperation of the obstetrics and gynecology departments of local medical institutions. On March 11, soon after the start of recruitment, the Tohoku region was hit by an unprecedented disaster in the shape of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which was closely followed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. As a result of the disaster, the study area in Fukushima Prefecture was expanded on October 1, 2012 to include 59 municipalities across Fukushima Prefecture. Three points are seen as particularly important: 1) Radiation risk communication, 2) The motto is “Be attentive. Be supportive.”, and 3) Establishing cooperating partnerships. With the cooperation of all concerned, the recruitment period ended on March 31, 2014. The tentative total number of the participants enrolled at the Fukushima Regional Center was 34,666 (13,134 pregnant mothers, 8,695 fathers and 12,837 children born before November 30, 2014 as of June 2016). FULL TEXT