PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Prenatal exposure to pesticide DDT linked to adult high blood pressure

2013-03-12
(Press-News.org) Infant girls exposed to high levels of the pesticide DDT while still inside the womb are three times more likely to develop hypertension when they become adults, according to a new study led by the University of California, Davis.

Previous studies have shown that adults exposed to DDT (dichlorodiplhenyltrichloroethane) are at an increased risk of high blood pressure. But this study, published online March 12 in Environmental Health Perspectives, is the first to link prenatal DDT exposure to hypertension in adults.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a high risk factor for heart disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide.

"The prenatal period is exquisitely sensitive to environmental disturbance because that's when the tissues are developing," said study lead author Michele La Merrill, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Environmental Toxicology.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned DDT in this country in 1972 after nearly three decades of use. However, the pesticide is still used for malaria control in other parts of the world, such as India and South Africa. That means children born in those areas could have a higher risk of hypertension as adults.

La Merrill said that traces of DDT, a persistent organic pollutant, also remain in the food system, primarily in fatty animal products.

The study examined concentrations of DDT in blood samples collected from women who had participated in the Child Health and Development Studies, an ongoing project of the nonprofit Public Health Institute. The CHDS recruited women who sought obstetric care through Kaiser Permanente Foundation Health Plan in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1959 and 1967. They also surveyed the adult daughters of those women to learn if they had developed hypertension.

"Evidence from our study shows that women born in the U.S. before DDT was banned have an increased risk of hypertension that might be explained by increased DDT exposure," said La Merrill. "And the children of people in areas where DDT is still used may have an increased risk, as well."

### The study's co-authoring institutions were the Public Health Institute and Columbia University.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

About UC Davis

For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of nearly $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New survey reports low rate of patient awareness during anesthesia

2013-03-12
The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) today publish initial findings from a major study which looked at how many patients experienced accidental awareness during general anaesthesia. The survey asked all senior anaesthetists in NHS hospitals in the UK (more than 80% of whom replied) to report how many cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia they encountered in 2011. There are three million general anaesthetics administered each year. Study findings are published in Anaesthesia, ...

Breaking the final barrier: Room-temperature electrically powered nanolasers

2013-03-12
TEMPE, Ariz. -- A breakthrough in nanolaser technology has been made by Arizona State University researchers. Electrically powered nano-scale lasers have been able to operate effectively only in cold temperatures. Researchers in the field have been striving to enable them to perform reliably at room temperature, a step that would pave the way for their use in a variety of practical applications. Details of how ASU researchers made that leap are published in a recent issue of the research journal Optics Express (Vol. 21, No. 4, 4728 2013). Read the full article at http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-21-4-4728 ...

Asterix's Roman foes -- Researchers have a better idea of how cancer cells move and grow

Asterixs Roman foes -- Researchers have a better idea of how cancer cells move and grow
2013-03-12
This press release is available in French. Researchers at the University of Montreal's Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) have discovered a new mechanism that allows some cells in our body to move together, in some ways like the tortoise formation used by Roman soldiers depicted in the Asterix series. Collective cell migration is an essential part of our body's growth and defense system, but it is also used by cancerous cells to disseminate efficiently in the body. "We have found a key mechanism that allows cells to coordinate their movement as a ...

Hearts Pest Management, Inc. Lends Their Expertise To The Victims of Pest Invasion

2013-03-12
Hearts Pest Management President, Gerry Weitz, provides his expertise in Ellen Byron's Wall Street Journal article Critter Counteroffiensive from the Personal Journal section published on February 27, 2013. Critter Counteroffensive focuses on "The tactics to take back the great room from stubborn, furry visitors.'" Gerry Weitz of Hearts Pest Management was one of six nationally recognized pest control companies and their owners to contribute to the article. The article addressed that rats, mice and larger wildlife are among the "furry visitors" that ...

The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind Appoints Sarah Elliott as Director of Philanthropy

2013-03-12
The Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind today announced that it has appointed Sarah Elliott as director of philanthropy. Elliott will be responsible for building, developing and overseeing fundraising and communications efforts for the organization. "Sarah brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and development," said President and CEO Nancy Perkins. " We look forward to the great contribution she will make to our team as we continue to enhance opportunities for individuals with visual impairments in North Texas." Elliott has more than 13 years ...

Classic Timber Flooring Provides Superior Timber Floor Sanding and Polishing in Adelaide

2013-03-12
Committed on giving you the highest quality of service and timber products - Classic Timber Flooring - provides superior timber floor sanding and polishing in the state. Over time, timber floor looses its natural shine and lustre. Thus it needs periodic sanding and polishing. And no one can do it better than Classic Timber Flooring that have years of experience in the industry. Classic Timber Flooring is Adelaide's floor sanding and polishing professionals who can achieve a smooth finish on your timber floors that is sure to impress. We can give your home or workplace ...

JTM Food Group Introduces Specialty Pizzas, Pastas, Sandwiches, Appetizers and Breads at the 2013 International Pizza Expo

2013-03-12
JTM Food Group, a Harrison, Ohio-based company specializing in great-tasting, fully cooked, healthier menu solutions, will introduce dozens of new products at the 2013 International Pizza Expo, March 19-21 in Las Vegas, NV. The JTM booth (#2156/2158) will highlight Italian offerings to be sampled by pizzeria and pizza concept owners from coast-to-coast as more than 7,000 industry professionals are expected to attend the show. "We are very excited to participate in this year's Expo," said Mr. Scott Bonta, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, JTM Food Group. ...

Center for Safe Schools and Communities Announces The 2013 June Conference - Denver, CO

2013-03-12
The Center for Safe Schools and Communities is a non-profit organization that provides training, conferences and materials to at risk students and their families. The Center has developed an evidence based social competence program called Peace 4 Kids. The program trains students in the 4 components of empathy, anger management, social skills and character education/ethics. The Center for Safe Schools and Communities is based in Broomfield Colorado. The Center for Safe Schools and Communities is sponsoring an International Conference featuring Evidenced Based Social ...

Great Spring Break Options Announced By Dial An Exchange

2013-03-12
Timeshare exchange provider Dial An Exchange (DAE) announces excellent destinations to visit during the Spring Break holiday season and get out of the cold and get away from the recent bad weather across much of the U.S. Hawaii is always a perfect escape from the hectic pace of the continental 48, and the world-renowned theme parks of Orlando make for fantastic family vacations. One area to consider is the always sunny San Diego and its combination of coast and culture. Families looking to spend time together can take advantage of great options in the following locations: Orlando: Theme ...

Real Men Don't Wax--Romantic Comedy with a Fresh Twist

2013-03-12
Stacy Bender, acclaimed science-fiction/adventure writer, is stepping out of her comfort zone with Real Men Don't Wax, a contemporary romantic comedy. This fun novella underscores Bender's versatility and ability to entertain across the board as she weaves a lighthearted story about a man, a woman, and . . . a cat. Jamie and Alex live in the same building but both are busy leading their separate lives. Alex is overwhelmed trying to maintain the aging but quaint apartment building while Jamie's days are filled with her career, friends, and family. In steps Mephistopheles ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

From octopus intelligence to smart artificial blood vessels: 2025 Schmidt Science Fellows to break new ground with interdisciplinary research

Experts challenge aspirin guidelines based on their undue reliance on a flawed trial

McGill discovery sheds new light on autism, intellectual disabilities

Cellular changes occur even below the hexavalent chromium limit

Study suggests a new way to curb social media’s body image toll

Plant doctor: An AI system that watches over urban trees without touching a leaf

Study tracks chromium chemistry in irradiated molten salts

Scientists: the beautiful game is a silver bullet for global health

Being physically active, even just a couple of days a week, may be key to better health

High-fat diet promote breast cancer metastasis in animal models

A router for photons

Nurses and AI collaborate to save lives, reduce hospital stays

Multi-resistance in bacteria predicted by AI model

Tinker Tots: A citizen science project to explore ethical dilemmas in embryo selection

Sensing sickness

Cost to build multifamily housing in California more than twice as high as in Texas

Program takes aim at drinking, unsafe sex, and sexual assault on college campuses

Inability to pay for healthcare reaches record high in U.S.

Science ‘storytelling’ urgently needed amid climate and biodiversity crisis

KAIST Develops Retinal Therapy to Restore Lost Vision​

Adipocyte-hepatocyte signaling mechanism uncovered in endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid

Low LDL cholesterol levels linked to reduced risk of dementia

Thickening of the eye’s retina associated with greater risk and severity of postoperative delirium in older patients

Almost one in ten people surveyed report having been harmed by the NHS in the last three years

Enhancing light control with complex frequency excitations

New research finds novel drug target for acute myeloid leukemia, bringing hope for cancer patients

New insight into factors associated with a common disease among dogs and humans

Illuminating single atoms for sustainable propylene production

New study finds Rocky Mountain snow contamination

[Press-News.org] Prenatal exposure to pesticide DDT linked to adult high blood pressure