Dietary Patterns and Their Relationship With Semen Quality.

Diet is a complex exposure variable, which calls for multiple approaches to examine the relationship between diet and disease risk. To address these issues, several authors have recently proposed studying overall dietary patterns by considering how foods and nutrients are consumed in combinations. The aim of the study was to investigate the associations between dietary patterns, semen quality parameters, and the level of reproductive hormones. The study population consisted of 336 men who attended the infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 20 to 300 mln/ml or slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15-20 mln/ml). Participants were interviewed, and a semen sample was provided by them. Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire, and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Men were classified into three groups according to scores of each dietary pattern: Western, Mixed, or Prudent. A positive association was observed between sperm concentration and Prudent dietary pattern, and level of testosterone and Prudent dietary pattern ( p = .05, p = .03, respectively). Additionally, Prudent dietary pattern was identified to decrease the DNA fragmentation index ( p = .05). The results were adjusted for sexual abstinence, age, smoking, past diseases, and alcohol consumption. Higher consumption of a Prudent dietary pattern was associated with higher sperm concentration and higher level of testosterone. Sperm chromatin structure was inversely related to higher consumption of a Prudent dietary pattern. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and extend these results to other populations.

A systematic review of maternal smoking during pregnancy and fetal measurements with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is linked to reduced birth weight but the gestation at onset of this relationship is not certain. We present a systematic review of the literature describing associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ultrasound measurements of fetal size, together with an accompanying meta-analysis. METHODS: Studies were selected from electronic databases (OVID, EMBASE and Google Scholar) that examined associations between maternal smoking or smoke exposure and antenatal fetal ultrasound measurements. Outcome measures were first, second or third trimester fetal measurements. RESULTS: There were 284 abstracts identified, 16 papers were included in the review and the meta-analysis included data from eight populations. Maternal smoking was associated with reduced second trimester head size (mean reduction 0.09 standard deviation (SD) [95% CI 0.01, 0.16]) and femur length (0.06 [0.01, 0.10]) and reduced third trimester head size (0.18 SD [0.13, 0.23]), femur length (0.27 SD [0.21, 0.32]) and estimated fetal weight (0.18 SD [0.11, 0.24]). Higher maternal cigarette consumption was associated with a lower z score for head size in the second (mean difference 0.09 SD [0, 0.19]) and third (0.15 SD [0.03, 0.26]) trimesters compared to lower consumption. Fetal measurements were not reduced for those whose mothers quit before or after becoming pregnant compared to mothers who had never smoked. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with reduced fetal measurements after the first trimester, particularly reduced head size and femur length. These effects may be attenuated if mothers quit or reduce cigarette consumption during pregnancy.

Predictors of short- and long-term sickness absence in female post office workers in Poland.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to highlight major predictors of the frequency of sickness absence in a group of workers directly involved in customer service. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out on a random sample of 229 women employed as assistants and clerks in post offices. The survey was based on the Subjective Work, Health Status and Life Style Characteristics Questionnaire, and sickness absence data for the years 2004-2006. RESULTS: The negative binominal regression model of sickness absence risk revealed the following significant predictors of short-term absence spells (1-29 days): 1) marital status, sickness absence risk for single women was (rate ratio (RR)) = 1.56 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-2.39) vs. married women; 2) post offices employing 7 workers had a rate ratio of sickness absence of 1.6 (95% CI: 1.04-2.42); 13-25 workers - RR = 2.03 (95% CI: 1.41-2.93); > 25 workers - RR = 1.82 (95% CI: 1.15-2.88) compared with an average number of 8-12 workers; 3) shift work, RR = 1.57 (95% CI: 1.14-2.14); 4) breaks from work - the risk of absence in the case of any breaks amounted to RR = 1.5 (95% CI: 1.07-2.07) in comparison with the statutory breaks; 5) self-rated health reported as moderate relative to good health, RR = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.26-2.32); and 6) occurrence of respiratory diseases resulted in the risk of RR = 1.51 (95% CI: 1.08-2.08). The Poisson regression model of long-term sickness absence spells (≥ 30 days) revealed the following significant predictors: 1) number of clients per shift: 51-100 clients, RR = 3.62 (95% CI: 1.07-22.6) compared with a lower number of clients; 2) self-rated health, assessed as moderate, RR = 1.97 (95% CI: 1.06-3.78) and 3) household chores performed for at least 4 h a day, RR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.18-0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Association between sickness absence and workload as well as work organization indicates directions of corrective actions, which could reduce the scale of the problem.

Effect of environmental phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of phthalate exposure on pregnancy duration and birth outcomes based on the Polish Mother and Child Cohort (REPRO_PL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Phthalate exposure was determined by measuring 11 phthalate metabolites (mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), 3OH-mono-n-butyl phthalate (OH-MnBP), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), mono­ (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), mono-hydroxy-iso-nonyl phthalate (MHiNP), mono-oxo-iso-nonyl phthalate (MOiNP), and mono-n-octyl phthalate (MOP)) in the urine collected from 165 mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The following measures at birth were considered: gestational age, birth weight, length as well as head and chest circumference. RESULTS: Pregnancy duration was inversely associated with natural log concentrations (µg/g creatinine) of MEP (standardized regression coefficient (ß) = -0.2, p = 0.04) after adjustment for a variety of confounders. Significant impact of MOiNP on head circumference (ß = -0.1, p = 0.05) was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings add further support to the hypothesis that phthalate exposure may be associated with shorter pregnancy duration and a decreased head circumference, and underscore importance of public health interventions to reduce that exposure.

Exposure to widespread environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals and human sperm sex ratio.

In recent years, a trend toward a declining proportion of male births has been noted in several, but not all, industrialized countries. The underlying reason for the drop in the sex ratio is unclear, but one theory states that widespread environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals affecting the male reproductive system in a negative manner could be part of the explanation. The present study was designed to investigate whether the urinary phthalate, pyrethroids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites concentrations were associated with sperm Y:X ratio. The study population consisted of 194 men aged under 45 years of age who attended infertility clinic in Lodz, Poland for diagnostic purposes with normal semen concentration of 20-300 mln/ml or with slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15-20 mln/ml) (WHO, 1999). The Y:X ratio was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Urinary concentrations of 1-hydroxypyrene were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, phthalate metabolites were analyzed using a procedure based on the LC-MS/MS methods and metabolites of synthetic pyrethroids were assessed by gas chromatography ion-tap mass spectrometry method. After adjustment for potential confounders (past diseases, age, abstinence, smoking, alcohol consumption, sperm concentration, motility, morphology) 5OH MEHP, CDCCA to TDCCA and 1-OHP was negatively related to Y:X sperm chromosome ratio (p = 0.033, p < 0.001, p = 0.047 respectively). As this is the first study to elucidate the association between the level of metabolites of widespread environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (phthalates, synthetic pyrethroids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) on sex chromosome ratio in sperm therefore, these findings require further replication in other populations.

Dietary Patterns and the Frequency of Disomy in Human Sperm.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether dietary patterns are associated with the frequency of sperm aneuploidy in a human sperm. It was shown that the role of nutrition, especially dietary pattern, remains unexamined as a risk factor in sperm aneuploidy. In contrast to the traditional analytical approach used in nutritional epidemiology, dietary pattern analysis considers overall diet rather than individual nutrients or foods. METHODS: The study population consisted of 212 men who were attending an infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had semen concentration of ≥15 (10(6)/ml) (World Health Organization, 2010). Sperm aneuploidy was assessed using multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization (DNA probes specific for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, Y). Diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Men were classified into 3 groups according to scores of each dietary pattern: Western, Mixed, Prudent. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, Prudent dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of fish, chicken, fruit, cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, legumes, and whole grains decreases disomy of chromosomes XX and 21 (P = .01 and P = .005) compared with Western dietary pattern characterized by high intakes of red and processed meat, butter, high fat dairy, refined grains, pizza, snacks, high-energy drinks, and sweets. CONCLUSION: Higher consumption of Prudent dietary pattern was associated with decreased frequencies of sperm disomy. As this is the first study to analyze the relation of diet and the frequency of sperm aneuploidy, our findings merit further studies, in other populations.

Selenium status during pregnancy and child psychomotor development-Polish Mother and Child Cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The studies on the impact of selenium (Se) levels in different pregnancy periods on child psychomotor functions are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of prenatal Se on child neurodevelopment. METHODS: The study population consisted of 410 mother-child pairs from Polish Mother and Child Cohort. Se levels were measured in each trimester of pregnancy, at delivery, and in cord blood by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Psychomotor development was assessed in children at the age of 1 and 2 y using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. RESULTS: Plasma Se levels decreased through pregnancy (from 48.3 ± 10.6 µg/l in the first trimester to 38.4 ± 11.8 µg/l at delivery; P < 0.05). A statistically significant positive association between Se levels in the first trimester of pregnancy and motor development (ß = 0.2, P = 0.002) at 1 y of age, and language development (ß = 0.2, P = 0.03) at 2 y of age was observed. The positive effect of Se levels on cognitive score at 2 y of age was of borderline significance (ß = 0.2, P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prenatal selenium status was associated with child psychomotor abilities within the first years of life. Further epidemiological and preclinical studies are needed to confirm the association and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

Exposure to ambient air pollution--does it affect semen quality and the level of reproductive hormones?

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution has been associated with a variety of reproductive disorders. However, a limited amount of research has been conducted to examine the association between air pollution and male reproductive outcomes, specifically semen quality. AIM: The present study was designed to address the hypothesis that exposure to fluctuating levels of specific air pollutants adversely affects sperm parameters and the level of reproductive hormones. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 327 men who were attending an infertility clinic in Lodz, Poland for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 15-300 mln/ml. All participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. Air quality data were obtained from AirBase database. RESULTS: The statistically significant association was observed between abnormalities in sperm morphology and exposure to all examined air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NOX, CO). Exposure to air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, CO, NOx) was also negatively associated with the level of testosterone. Additional exposure to PM2.5, PM10 increase the percentage of cells with immature chromatin (HDS). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides suggestive evidence of an association between ambient air pollution and sperm quality. Further research is needed to explore this association in more detail. Individual precise exposure assessment would be needed for more detailed risk characterization.

Predictors of lung cancer among former asbestos-exposed workers.

OBJECTIVES: Despite extensive literature concerning the risk of lung cancer incidence among asbestos workers there is still lack of data specifying the association between the level of exposure and the frequency of cancer occurrence. The aim of the analysis was to assess the influence of smoking and selected factors related to occupational exposure on the risk of the incidence of lung cancer among the workers who were exposed to asbestos dust in the past. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The assessment was performed based on the case-control studies carried out within a cohort including 7,374 former workers of asbestos processing plants, examined over the years 2000-2013. Analysis of the material was based on the calculation of the odds ratio (OR) using conditional logistic regression modeling, adjusted for cigarette smoking, cumulative exposure, branch and time since last exposure. RESULTS: During the survey period there were 165 cases of lung cancer. Among the individuals who smoked, the relative risk of lung cancer incidence was twice as high in the persons smoking more than 20 pack-years (OR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.45-3.46) than it was in the case of the non-smokers. Analysis revealed that the risk of lung cancer in the group with the highest exposure was two times higher in comparison with the low cumulative asbestos exposure (OR=1.99; 95% CI: 1.22-3.25). The risk continued to increase until 30 years after cessation of asbestos exposure and started to decline many years after the last exposure. Influence of the mentioned above characteristics is particularly visible for tumors located in the lower parts of the lungs. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm the strong evidence that the lung cancer risk is associated with asbestos exposure and it increases along with the increasing exposure. A strategy of smoking cessation among the individuals exposed to asbestos dust would potentially have health promoting effects.

Association of Rotating Night Shift Work with BMI and Abdominal Obesity among Nurses and Midwives.

BACKGROUND: Mounting epidemiological evidence suggests that night shift work may contribute to the etiology of increased body weight. The present study aimed to examine association between rotating night shift work and body mass index (BMI), and abdominal adiposity respectively among nurses and midwives. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 724 female nurses and midwives, aged 40-60 years (354 rotating night shift and 370 daytime workers) in Lódz, Poland, between 2008 and 2011. Information about occupational history and potential confounders was collected during personal interviews. Anthropometric measurements of body weight, height, waist (WC) and hip (HC) circumference were made, and body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. GLM regression models and multinomial logit regression models were fitted to explore the association between night shift work and anthropometric parameters, with adjustment for age, body silhouette at age 20, current smoking status, packyears, marital status, and menopausal hormone therapy use. RESULTS: Cumulative night shift work showed significant associations with BMI, WC, HC and WHtR, with BMI increasing by 0.477 kg/m2 per 1000 night duties and by 0.432 kg/m2 per 10000 night shift hours, WC increasing respectively by 1.089 cm and 0.99 cm, and HC by 0.72 cm and WHtR by 0.007 cm for both metrics. Both current and cumulative night work was associated with obesity (BMI≥30kg/m2), with OR=3.9 (95%CI:1.5-9.9), in women reporting eight or more night shifts per month. CONCLUSION: The results of the study support the previously reported relations between night shift work and development of obesity.

Visible fungi growth and dampness assessed using a questionnaire versus airborne fungi, (1→3)-ß-D-glucan and fungal spore concentrations in flats.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed at determination of the usefulness of the subjective assessment of selected signs of fungi growth in flats and microclimate parameters to indicate the actual air contamination with culturable fungi, (1→3)-ß-D-glucans and fungal spores. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This analysis covered 22 flats, the inhabitants of which declared in a questionnaire interview the presence of the developed mycelium on solid surfaces in the flat. Air samples for determination of the culturable fungi, (1→3)-ß-D-glucans and (viable and non-viable) fungal spores concentrations indoor and outdoor the flats during the heating period were collected. During bioaerosol sampling microclimate parameters were measured. Predictive models for concentrations of the tested biological agents with regard to various ways to assess fungal contamination of air in a flat (on the basis of a questionnaire or a questionnaire and microclimate measurements) were built. RESULTS: The arithmetic means of temperature, relative humidity, CO2 concentration and air flow velocity in the flats were respectively: 20.5°C, 53%, 1431.6 ppm and 0 m/s. The geometric mean concentrations of airborne fungi, (1→3)-ß-D-glucans and fungal spores in these premises amounted to 2.9×102 cfu/m3, 1.6 ng/m3 and 5.7×103 spores/m3, respectively. The subjective assessment of fungi growth signs and microclimate characteristics were moderately useful for evaluation of the actual airborne fungi and (1→3)-ß-D-glucan concentrations (maximum percent of explained variance (VE) = 61% and 67%, respectively), and less useful in evaluation of the actual fungal spore concentrations (VE < 29%). In the case of fungi, higher usefulness was indicated of the questionnaire evaluation supported by microclimate measurements (VE = 61.2%), as compared to the evaluation only by means of a questionnaire (VE = 46.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Subjective evaluation of fungi growth signs in flats, separately or combined with microclimate measurements, appeared to be moderately useful for quantitative evaluation of the actual air contamination with fungi and their derivatives, but more extensive studies are needed to strengthen those findings.

Endotoxin exposure and changes in short-term pulmonary function among sewage workers.

OBJECTIVES: The inhaled endotoxin is considered as a causative factor in the process of acute bronchial obstruction, which can be measured by a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). The aim of this study was to assess endotoxin exposure among sewage treatment plant workers (STPW) and its effect on across-shift changes in respiratory airflow. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 78 STPW from a large sewage treatment plant was studied. Inhalable dust for endotoxin assessment was collected using personal aerosol samplers. Endotoxin was assayed with the kinetic, chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate test. Across-shift spirometric measurements were performed on Mondays, after 2-days absence from work, with the use of portable spirometer. The forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1 parameters were analyzed. Multifactor regression modeling was performed to determine parameters significantly associated with endotoxin exposure. RESULTS: The concentration of inhalable dust and endotoxin ranged from 0.01-1.38 mg/m3 and 0.68-214 endotoxin units per cubic meter of air (EU/m3), respectively. Endotoxins were characterized with the skewed distribution (arithmetic mean (AM) = 38.8 EU/m3, geometric mean (GM) = 15.4 EU/m3, geometric standard deviation (GSD) = 4.21). Through the use of multifactor analysis, which excluded the main confounders (inhalable dust and smoking habit) it was found that, despite low levels of endotoxin, it had significant impact on the observed across-shift decline in FEV1 (p = 0.044). For this parameter, the regression slope was additionally calculated (r = -0.017, p = 0.071). CONCLUSIONS: Relatively low levels of endotoxin among sewage treatment plant workers may cause small, but significant across-shift declines in FEV1. The observed relationship was independent of organic dust concentrations and smoking habit. The respiratory protection should be provided for STPW.

Asbestos related diseases among workers of asbestos processing plants in relation to type of production and asbestos use.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos dust is one of the most dangerous pneumoconiotic and carcinogenic agents. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of asbestosis and pleural mesothelioma, depending on asbestos consumption and the type of manufactured products, among former asbestos workers in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study subjects included employees of 18 large state-owned asbestos processing enterprises operating in the Polish market in 1945-1998. The study is based on data obtained from asbestos company records and the Central Register of Occupational Diseases data on the cases of asbestosis and mesothelioma for the period from 1970 till 2012 as well as data from Amiantus Programme. The analysis was performed for 5 sectors comprising plants classified according to the products manufactured and applied production technology. RESULTS: In the study period, 2160 cases of asbestosis and 138 cases of mesothelioma were reported. The plants processed a total of about 2 million tons of asbestos, including about 7.5% of crocidolite. Total asbestosis consumption was a strong predictor of the rate of asbestosis incidence (R2 = 0.68, p = 0.055). The highest risk occurrence of asbestosis was observed in the production of textiles and sealing products. Mesothelioma occurred only in plants where crocidolite had been ever processed. CONCLUSIONS: Total asbestos consumption was a strong predictor of the rate of asbestosis incidence. The observation confirms the relationship between exposure to crocidolite and the occurrence of mesothelioma, regardless of the manufactured products, and suggests the absence of such a link for the total volume of asbestos consumption.

Maternal lifestyle during pregnancy and child psychomotor development - Polish Mother and Child Cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays special attention is paid to prenatal exposures to maternal lifestyle factors and their impact on a child development. AIM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of modifiable maternal lifestyle factors on child neurodevelopment based on the Polish Mother and Child Cohort study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The current analysis included 538 mother-child pairs. The following factors related to maternal lifestyle were considered: smoking and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure (based on the cotinine level in maternal saliva measured using LC-ESI+MS/MS method), alcohol consumption and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in pregnancy, pre-pregnancy BMI, and folic acid supplementations before and during pregnancy based on questionnaire data. Psychomotor development was assessed in children at the ages of one and two by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. RESULTS: Significant association was observed between prenatal exposure to tobacco constituents and a decreased child motor development in assessments performed at both ages (ß=-0.8, p=0.01; ß=-1.4, p<0.001). Maternal pre-pregnancy underweight was associated with decreased language abilities at 12 months of age (ß=-5.2, p=0.01) and cognitive and motor development at 24 months of age, for which the associations were of borderline significance (p=0.06). The recommended level of LTPA during pregnancy was beneficial for child language development at two years of age (ß=4.8, p=0.02). For alcohol and folic acid consumption there were no significant associations with any of the analyzed domains of child neurodevelopment. CONCLUSIONS: Children prenatally exposed to tobacco compounds and those of underweight mothers had a decreased psychomotor development. The recommended level of LTPA during pregnancy had positive impact on child development. These results underscore the importance of policies and public health interventions promoting healthy lifestyle among women in reproductive age and during pregnancy.

Human sperm aneuploidy after exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was associated with sperm aneuploidy. A sample of 181 men who attended an infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had a normal semen concentration of 20-300×106 spermatozoa mL-1 or slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15-20×106 spermatozoa mL-1;

The association between environmental exposure to pyrethroids and sperm aneuploidy.

The aim of the present study is to determine whether the environmental exposure to pyrethroids was associated with males sperm chromosome disomy. The study population consisted of 195 men who attended the infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 20-300×10(6) mL(-1) or slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15-20×10(6) mL(-1)) (WHO, 1999). Participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. The pyrethroids metabolites: 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (CDCCA), trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (TDCCA) and cis-2,2-dibromovinyl-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (DBCA) were analysed in the urine using a validated gas chromatography ion-tap mass spectrometry method. Sperm aneuploidy was assessed using multicolor FISH (DNA probes specific for chromosomes X, Y, 18, 13, 21). Our results showed that CDCCA >50th percentile was associated with disomy of chromosome 18 (p=0.05) whereas the level of TDCCA in urine >50th percentile was related to XY disomy (p=0.04) and disomy of chromosome 21 (p=0.05). Urinary 3PBA level ⩽50 and >50 percentile was related to disomy of sex chromosomes: XY disomy (p=0.05 and p=0.02 respectively), Y disomy (p=0.04 and 0.02 respectively), disomy of chromosome 21 (p=0.04 and p=0.04 respectively) and total disomy (p=0.03 and p=0.04 respectively). Additionally disomy of chromosome 18 was positively associated with urinary level of 3PBA >50 percentile (p=0.03). The results reported here are found that pyrethroids may be a sperm aneugens. These findings may be of concern due to increased pyrethroid use and prevalent human exposure.

Rotating night shift work, sleep quality, selected lifestyle factors and prolactin concentration in nurses and midwives.

The pattern of secretion of many hormones, including prolactin, is dependent on the circadian rhythm. Night shift work involves exposure to artificial light at night and sleep deficiency, which in turn can affect prolactin synthesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible association between night shift work characteristics, sleep quality, lifestyle factors and prolactin concentration, using data from a cross-sectional study of nurses and midwives. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 327 nurses and midwives currently working on rotating night shifts, and 330 nurses and midwives working during the day (aged 40-60 years) (388 premenopausal and 269 postmenopausal). Information about night shift work characteristics, lifestyle, reproductive factors, sleep pattern and other covariates was collected through a face-to-face interview, and from a one-week work and sleep diary completed by the subjects. Weight and height were measured. Prolactin concentration was measured in the morning blood sample using the electrochemiluminesence immunoassay method. Associations were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for important confounders. Analyses were carried out separately in pre- and postmenopausal women. None of the night shift work or sleep characteristics was significantly associated with prolactin concentration. Prolactin concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) inversely associated with smoking and time of blood sample collection. These results were consistent among both pre- and postmenopausal women. Nulliparity was significantly positively associated with prolactin among premenopausal women, but inversely among postmenopausal. Age was related to prolactin among postmenopausal women only. Our study indicates that rotating night shift work is not associated with prolactin concentration. Smoking, parity, time of blood collection and age among postmenopausal women were significant determinants of prolactin.

The effect of environmental exposure to pyrethroids and DNA damage in human sperm.

The present study was designed to investigate whether environmental exposure to pyrethroids was associated with sperm DNA damage. Between January 2008 and April 2011 286 men under 45 years of age with a normal sperm concentration of 15-300 10(6)/ml [WHO 2010] were recruited from an infertility clinic in Lodz, Poland. Participants were interviewed and provided urine, saliva, and semen samples. The pyrethroids metabolites: 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (CDCCA), trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (TDCCA), and cis-2,2-dibromovinyl-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-carboxylic acid (DBCA) were analyzed in the urine using a validated gas chromatography ion-tap mass spectrometry method. Sperm DNA damage was assessed using a flow cytometry based on sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). A positive association was observed between CDCCA >50th percentile and the percentage of medium DNA fragmentation index (M DFI) and percentage of immature sperms (HDS) (p = 0.04, p = 0.04 respectively). The level of 3PBA >50th percentile in urine was positively related to the percentage of high DNA fragmentation index (H DFI) (p = 0.03). The TDCCA, DBCA levels, and the sum of pyrethroid metabolites were not associated with any sperm DNA damage measures. Our results suggest that environmental pyrethroid exposure may affect sperm DNA damage measures index indicated the reproductive effects of pyrethroid exposure on adult men. In view of the importance of human reproductive health and the widespread usage of pyrethroids, it is important to further investigate these correlations.

The relationship between exposure to air pollution and sperm disomy.

The causes of the chromosome abnormalities have been studied for decades. It has been suggested that exposure to various environmental agents can induce chromosomal abnormalities in germ cells. This study was designed to address the hypothesis that exposure to specific air pollutants increases sperm disomy. The study population consisted of 212 men who were attending an infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes. They represented a subset of men in a multicenter parent study conducted in Poland to evaluate environmental factors and male fertility. Sperm aneuploidy for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y was assessed using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization. Air quality data were obtained from the AirBase database. After adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, temperature (90 days), season, past diseases, abstinence interval, distance from the monitoring station, concentration, motility and morphology, positive associations were observed between exposure to PM2.5 and disomy Y (P = 0.001), sex chromosome disomy (P = 0.05) and disomy 21 (P = 0.03). Exposure to PM10 was associated with disomy 21 (P = 0.02). Conversely, exposure to ozone, CO, SO2, and NOx did not affect sperm aneuploidy. A separate analysis conducted among men who were nonsmokers (n = 117) showed that the relationship between PM2.5 and disomy Y and disomy 21 remained significant (P = 0.01, P = 0.05, respectively). The present findings indicate that exposure to air pollution induces sperm aneuploidy.

Semen quality and the level of reproductive hormones after environmental exposure to pyrethroids.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether the environmental exposure to pyrethroids affects semen quality and the level of reproductive hormones in men. METHODS: The study population consisted of 334 men who attended the infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 15 to 300 mln/mL. Participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. The pyrethroids metabolites-3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA), cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (CDCCA), trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid (TDCCA), and cis-2,2-dibromovinyl-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (DBCA) were analyzed in the urine using a validated gas chromatography ion-trap mass spectrometry method. RESULTS: Urinary pyrethroids metabolites levels were significantly associated with an increase in the percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology and decrease in sperm concentration, the level of testosterone, and computer-aided semen analysis parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental pyrethroids exposure may affect semen quality and the level of reproductive hormones.