Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls,DDE, and mirex in waterfowl collected in New York State, 1979–1980

Levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), DDE, and mirex were measured in the subcutaneous fat, breast muscle, liver, and brain of sixty-three waterfowl collected in New York State during 1979 and 1980. Mean PCB levels were 7.5 g/g in fat and 1.3 g/g in breast muscle on a wet weight basis. The FDA tolerance level is 3.0 g/g in fat on a wet weight basis. Mean DDE and mirex levels were 0.34 g/g and 0.10 g/g in fat and 0.16 g/g and 0.07 g/g in breast muscle on a wet weight basis, respectively. Comparisons and correlations were made of contaminant levels in the various tissues by different concentration bases, and PCB concentrations were compared to the Aroclor^® (PCB) type. Potential health hazards are discussed. Comparisons to earlier studies show declined levels. Mergansers are the most contaminated species.     

Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs),p,p′-DDE and hexachlorobenzene in human milk in three areas of upstate New York

Forty human milk samples from women in an urban and a rural vicinity on Lake Ontario (Rochester and Oswego) and a mixed urban and rural location on the Hudson River (Albany), New York, were analyzed for 74 PCB congeners,p,p-DDE, hexachlorobenzene, and mirex in order to determine the intake of breast-fed infants. All of the compounds were detected in the samples, but only eight PCB congeners andp,p-DDE accounted for 88% of the chlorinated hydrocarbons detected.p,p-DDE was the predominant pollutant (mean 78 ng/g wet weight), but the levels detected were low compared with the results from other parts of North America. Eight individual PCB congeners comprise 52% of the total PCB residue (mean 26.5 ng/g of whole milk); they ranged in mean concentration from 3.2 ng/g (2,4,5,2,4,5-hexachlorobiphenyl) to 1 ng/g (2,3,4,3,4-pentachlorobiphenyl). Statistical correlation analysis among PCB congeners indicates a possible higher exposure to less chlorinated congeners at Oswego than at Albany.     

Descriptive Epidemiology of Chronic Hypertension,Gestational Hypertension,and Preeclampsia in New York State, 1995–2004

We examined social, demographic, and behavioral predictors of specific forms of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy in New York State. Administrative data on 2.3 million births over the period 1995–2004 were available for New York State, USA, with linkage to birth certificate data for New York City (964,071 births). ICD-9 hospital discharge diagnosis codes were used to assign hypertensive disorders hierarchically as chronic hypertension, chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, preeclampsia (eclampsia/severe or mild), or gestational hypertension. Sociodemographic and behavioral predictors of these outcomes were examined separately for upstate New York and New York City by calculating adjusted odds ratios. The most commonly diagnosed conditions were preeclampsia (2.57 % of upstate New York births, 3.68 % of New York City births) and gestational hypertension (2.46 % of upstate births, 1.42 % of New York City births). Chronic hypertension was much rarer. Relative to non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics in New York City and Black women in all regions had markedly increased risks for all hypertensive disorders, whereas Asian women were at consistently decreased risk. Pregnancy-associated conditions decreased markedly with parity and modestly among smokers. A strong positive association was found between pre-pregnancy weight and risk of hypertensive disorders, with slightly weaker associations among Blacks and stronger associations among Asians. While patterns of chronic and pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders differed, the predictors of gestational hypertension and both mild and severe preeclampsia were similar to one another. The increased risk for Black and some Hispanic women warrants clinical consideration, and the markedly increased risk with greater pre-pregnancy weight suggests an opportunity for primary prevention among all ethnic groups.     

Human biomonitoring of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in plasma of former underground miners in Germany – A case-control study

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are very persistent organic pollutants of severe environmental concern due to their toxic properties. Former underground miners might have been exposed to this substance group due to the widespread use of PCBs in hydraulic oils from the late 1960s to the mid 1980s. We have conducted a blinded case-control study in order to evaluate the possibility of retrospective exposure assessment of PCBs using human biomonitoring in former underground miners decades after the last possible exposure.We have identified n?=?34 male former underground miners and n?=?136 age-matched male control persons from the database of patients of our occupational outpatient clinic aged between 47.9 and 83.7?years ?at the time of sampling (June 2006–June 2016). These archived plasma samples have been blinded and analysed for 21 different PCB-congeners using a validated and quality controlled procedure using GC/MS (LOQ: 0.01?μg/L).Highly significant differences between cases and age-matched controls were only found for the PCB-congeners PCB 74 and PCB 114. The median (95th percentile) levels of PCB 74 in cases and controls were 0.126?μg/L plasma (0.899?μg/L plasma) vs. 0.058?μg/L plasma (0.368?μg/L plasma) and the 95th percentile levels for PCB 114 were 0.039?μg/L plasma vs. 0.017?μg/L plasma. Linear regression models revealed that this difference in plasma levels was unequivocally attributed to the underground mining activity. Thus, retrospective exposure assessment for underground miners by use of human biomonitoring seems feasible and further studies with a particular focus on this special group of workers should be performed.     

Pulmonary Hypertension During Pregnancy in New York State, 2003–2014

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Objectives This study examined the prevalence and temporal trends in (a) pulmonary hypertension (PH) during pregnancy and (b) mortality and morbidity during...     

Factors associated with plasma concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) in the Canadian population

This study describes blood plasma concentrations of PCBs and p,p’-DDE in the Canadian population aged 20–79 years. PCBs and p,p’-DDE were measured in 1668 participants in the Canadian Health Measures Survey, Cycle 1 (2007–2009). We investigated how concentrations vary by sociodemographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle variables, identified factors associated with exposures, and evaluated concentrations against health-based guidance values. Congeners of PCB most commonly detected were PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180. p,p’-DDE was detectable in > 99% of the samples. Factors associated with ∑PCBs were age, region of birth, frequency of fish consumption, and liver intake (R² = 58.1%). For p,p’-DDE, significant factors were sex, age, region of birth, household education, and ethnic origin (R² = 47.0%). PCB concentrations in Canadians were similar to those in the United States, and lower than those reported in Europe. A small percentage equalled or exceeded the Human Biomonitoring value of 3.5 µg/L for PCBs. Few exceedances of the p,p’-DDE biomonitoring equivalent were observed.     

Toxic potential of non-ortho and mono-ortho coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls in Aroclors®, seals,and humans

Mono-ortho and non-ortho coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in Aroclors^®, seals, and humans by graphitized carbon, a recently developed HPLC method (Hong et al. 1992b) and high-resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection (HRGC/ECD). The concentration data were multiplied by potency factors derived from aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) induction to give 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) equivalents. The ability to separate coplanar PCBs from the majority of PCBs has allowed the use of TCDD toxicity equivalence to compare the relative dioxin-like potency of PCB residues in the complex mixtures. The most active mixtures, Aroclors^® 1254, 1248, and 1242, contained 42–54% by weight of chlorine. The results demonstrate that the apparent dioxin-like potency of PCB residues in Aroclors^®, seals, and humans is dominated by three congeners, 3,3,4,4-tetra-, 2,3,3,4,4-, and 3,3,4,4,5-pen-tachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC nos. 77, 105, 126).     

Acute Myocardial Infarction in New York State: 1996–2008

We examined the Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) incidence and mortality rates in New York State for a recent 13-year period. Hospital discharge data and death certificate information are combined to create patient episodes for AMI. Trends in the risk-adjusted AMI incidence and mortality are examined for the years 1996 through 2008. Between 1996 and 2008, the AMI incidence rate declined by 35.8% and AMI mortality fell from 161.0 to 71.6 per 100,000 population. This 55.5% decline in mortality is accompanied by a 23.9% decline in the number of AMI admissions to acute care hospitals and by a 37.8% improvement in mortality among those hospitalized. New York State follows the national trend in decline in AMI. That decline is accompanied by reductions in AMI mortality, reduced demand on hospitals, and significant improvement in hospital care quality among AMI patients.     

The Dose–Response of Time Served in Prison on Mortality: New York State, 1989–2003

Objectives. I investigated the differential impact of the dose–response of length of stay on postprison mortality among parolees.Methods. Using 1989–2003 New York State parole administrative data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics on state correctional facilities, I employed multinomial logistic regression analyses and formal demographic techniques that used the life table of the populations to deduce changes in life expectancy.Results. Each additional year in prison produced a 15.6% increase in the odds of death for parolees, which translated to a 2-year decline in life expectancy for each year served in prison. The risk was highest upon release from prison and declined over time. The time to recovery, or the lowest risk level, was approximately two thirds of the time served in prison.Conclusions. Incarceration reduces life span. Future research should investigate the pathways to this higher mortality and the possibilities of recovery.Although several studies have documented the findings and detailed the analyses by cause of death1,2 of postprison mortality, limited scholarship has investigated the prison environment’s contribution. Several studies have shown that former prisoners are at considerable risk for drug overdose,3–7 contributing to high mortality immediately after prison. Compared with their nonprisoner counterparts, those who have served time in prison have elevated levels of unnatural deaths. One study of persons released from prisons in Victoria, Australia, in the 1990s revealed that mortality levels owing to unnatural causes for former prisoners was twice that of prisoners and 10 times that of nonprisoners.8 Scholarship has also found that persons who interacted with the criminal justice system were more likely to die from unnatural causes than were those who had no interaction with the criminal justice system.9However, the postprison mortality literature suggests that prisoners possess characteristics coming to prison that set them apart from the rest of the population.8–12 The selectivity of the population is an important issue but is not resolved by comparing the prison population to that of the general population or the mortality of past prisoners to people who have not been incarcerated. It is imperative to take into account that prisoners represent a small portion of those who commit delinquent acts. Prisoners are the people who were caught, indicted, and punished via incarceration. The judicial system does not capture all who commit crimes, nor are the sentencing patterns invariant across age, race, gender, and socioeconomic status.13–18Some scholars have argued that the experience of incarceration can alter health trajectories because it is an axis of stratification relevant to mortality that has strong associations, as do other covariates of mortality such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status. One study showed that the experience of being incarcerated has a negative impact on life chances regardless of prior incarceration history.19 Other work suggests a relationship between mortality and the length of time served in prison: some findings show longer stays are protective and others show the opposite.20,21 Such studies have contributed to our understanding of the link between the criminal justice system and mortality immediately following release, focusing on mortality owing to overdose and suicide. I sought to extend this research by studying the mortality of New York State parolees over a 10-year period. By combining formal demography and survival analysis, I investigated the dose–response of time served in prison to changes in life expectancy.     

Relation Between Annual Trends in Food Pantry Use and Long-Term Unemployment in New York State, 2002–2012

We examined the correlation between trends in meals provided through food pantries and long-term unemployment from 2002 through 2012. The New York State Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program provided about 192 million meals through food pantries in 2012—double the number before the Great Recession. Annual food pantry use was strongly correlated with long-term unemployment and remained on an upward trend from 2006 through 2012, even after the Great Recession had ended. These findings suggest that efforts to reduce hunger and food insecurity should continue to be priorities.Food pantries are a critical source of relief, used by about one quarter of food-insecure households.1 By providing safe and nutritious foods,2 food pantries may also help prevent health problems because food insecurity is often associated with higher risks of poorer physical, cognitive, behavioral, and mental health outcomes along with inadequate nutrient intake.3–5 However, continuing cuts to national nutrition programs will lead to an increased demand for pantry services,6,7 straining an already overburdened system.There is a paucity of studies on the use of emergency food relief services that is largely the result of a lack of readily accessible data collected on an ongoing and systematic basis regarding the use of emergency food relief services at the local, state, and national levels. Even when data are available, there is often a lag of 6 months or longer. This lag has meant that local and state program planners are not always able to anticipate periods of increased demand for emergency food relief services. However, data on indicators of economic conditions that could be related to use of emergency food relief services are readily available and could be used to inform planning and targeting of food pantry services. In this article, we examine the correlation between trends in meals provided through food pantries and long-term unemployment from 2002 through 2012.     

Factors affecting place of death in Washington State, 1968–1981

A study was carried out to determine factors affecting place of death (home, hospital, nursing home or other places) among all 426,115 resident deaths in Washington State during 1968–1981, using death certificate information. Sixteen percent of deaths occurred at home, 74% in institutions (51% in hospitals, 23% in nursing homes) and 9% at other places. Age, marital status and cause of death all strongly affect place of death. Further, the effect of each factor was strongly dependent on the others. Sex had no effect on place of death after controlling for other factors. Elderly people died relatively more frequently in nursing homes, infants and middle aged people in hospitals and young adults in other places. The frequency of deaths at home was quite constant by age. Hospitals were the most common place of death following both vascular disease (including heart attack) and neoplasms, and nursing homes were the most common place of death following cerebrovascular disease (including stroke). Race, socioeconomic status and urban or rural residents affected the place of death only slightly or not at all. The place of death pattern changed little during the time period 1968–1981, except for a slight increase in frequency of home deaths and a corresponding decrease in the frequency of deaths in other places.Among cancer patients, the likelihood of death at home was positively associated with longer periods of survival after diagnosis. Cancer patients of hospitals serving targeted populations, such as veterans, were relatively more likely to die in a hospital and less likely to die in a nursing home compared to other cancer patients, suggesting that the targeted hospitals are sometimes serving a nursing home function. There was a marked difference in the terminal cancer caseload by hospital. The number of cancer deaths per cancer diagnosis varied widely across hospitals (0.1 to 1.6) and was unrelated to size of the hospital or level of services offered.Intervention aimed at affecting place of death, such as increasing the number of deaths at home, will need to take account of the joint effect of age, marital status and disease.Lincoln Polissar, Ph.D., is Associate Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Division of Public Health Sciences, Seattle, WA and Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington in Seattle. Richard K. Severson, M.S., is the Project Coordinator, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Norman K. Brown, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington.This research was supported by NCI Grant Nos. NCI-SR18, CA 29770–03 Requests for reprints should be sent to Lincoln Polissar, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia Street, Seattle, WA 98104     

Changes in Caries Experience,Untreated Caries,Sealant Prevalence,and Preventive Behavior Among Third-Graders in New York State, 2002–2004 and 2009–2012

ObjectiveThis study assessed changes in caries experience, untreated caries, sealant prevalence, and preventive behavior among third-grade children in New York State to monitor progress toward state health objectives.MethodsWe analyzed children''s data from the 2002–2004 (n=10,865) and 2009–2012 (n=6,758) New York State Oral Health Survey. We calculated differences in weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals for caries experience, untreated caries, sealant prevalence, and preventive behavior. We used logistic regression procedures to assess the independent effects and interaction terms on dental caries experience.ResultsThe percentage of children with dental caries and untreated caries decreased from 54.1% and 33.0% in 2002–2004 to 45.2% and 23.6% in 2009–2012, respectively. While this decrease was not uniform across income subgroups, the prevalence of sealants, a key measure of the use of preventive services, increased significantly from 16.7% to 36.0% among lower-income children.ConclusionsMeasurable improvement in reducing dental caries prevalence among third-grade children has been made in New York State, but this improvement was not uniform across subgroups. Specifically, disease prevalence among lower-income children remained high, underscoring the need to strengthen existing programs and identify additional policy and programmatic interventions.Researchers generally agree that the prevalence and severity of dental caries among U.S. and New York State (NYS) school-age children declined steadily from the 1970s to the 1990s. Although this trend has continued for older children in more recent years, this trend is uncertain among younger children aged 2–8 years.^1–3 Findings from analyses of 1988–1994 and 1999–2004 national surveys show that declines in dental caries observed in earlier decades among younger children may have plateaued or dental caries may even be increasing among subgroups of younger children.⁴ Because of the persistent higher disease rate, especially in low-income groups, prevention of tooth decay among children has become the focus of many prevention efforts.^5,6 Since 2001, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration have provided grants and technical assistance to NYS to strengthen the infrastructure and capacity to promote fluoridation and improve its quality, as well as to strengthen school-based preventive and early treatment programs.Changes have also been made to increase insurance coverage for dental services and improve annual dental visits.^7,8 Child Health Plus, the state Children''s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), was implemented in 1997 to provide public health insurance for near-poor children from families previously not eligible for Medicaid. According to a U.S. Government Accounting Office report, nationally, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, children in particular, showed increases in the use of dental services (from 28% in 1996 to 37% in 2010), but still visited the dentist less frequently than privately insured children (58% in 2010).⁹ In NYS, the Medicaid program enhanced the fee structure for dental procedures in 2000. In addition, professional organizations, advocacy groups, and foundations have made a concerted effort to promote prevention and access to care. The professional recommendation to initiate first dental visit shifted from age 3 to age 1 around 2003.¹⁰ To assess the collective effect of these and other efforts in NYS, we examined data on caries experience, untreated caries, sealant prevalence, and preventive behavior among third-grade children from the 2002–2004 and 2009–2012 NYS Oral Health Survey.     

Plasma concentrations of selected organobromine compounds and polychlorinated biphenyls in postmenopausal women of Québec, Canada

BACKGROUND: Brominated flame retardants, especially polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been widely used in North America, but little is known about the level of exposure of human populations to these compounds. OBJECTIVES: We set out to assess the internal exposure of postmenopausal Canadian women to selected organobromine compounds and to investigate factors associated with this exposure. METHODS: We measured concentrations of four PBDEs, one polybrominated biphenyl, and for comparative purposes, 41 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in plasma samples from 110 healthy postmenopausal women who were recruited at a mammography clinic in 2003-2004. RESULTS: PBDE-47 was the major PBDE congener, with a mean (geometric) concentration of 8.1 ng/g lipids and extreme values reaching 1,780 ng/g. By comparison, the mean concentration of the major PCB congener (PCB-153) was 41.7 ng/g and the highest value was 177 ng/g. PBDEs 47, 99, and 100 were strongly intercorrelated, but weaker correlations were noted with PBDE-153. As the sum of PBDEs (summation operatorPBDEs) increased, the relative contribution of PBDE-47 to the summation operatorPBDEs increased, whereas that of PBDE-153 decreased. PBDE-153 was the only brominated compound correlated to PCB-153. PBDE levels were not linked to any sociodemographic, anthropometric, reproductive, or lifestyle variables documented in the present study. Age and body mass index gain since the age of 18 years were significant predictors of PCB-153 plasma levels. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that exposure to PBDE-47 likely occurs through direct contact with the penta-PBDE formulation, whereas exposure to PBDE-153 may originate in part from the food chain.     

The Incidence and Severity of Acute Respiratory Illness in Families Exposed to Different Levels of Air Pollution,New York Metropolitan Area, 1971–1972

The incidence and severity of acute respiratory disease was studied in families in three New York communities with different ambient levels of SO₂ and particulate air pollution. Upper, lower, and total respiratory disease rates in fathers, mothers, and school children tended to be higher in the communities with higher pollution levels. Similar higher rates, however, were not observed among preschool children. Regression analyses were used to adjust rates for socioeconomic status, parental smoking, chronic bronchitis in parents, and possible indoor pollution resulting from the use of a gas stove for cooking. After these adjustments the community differences were still significant (P < .01), for schoolchildren. The indoor pollution related to gas stoves was a significant covariate among children. The effects of smoking were inconsistent. It was not possible to attribute the higher rates observed to any specific pollutant, since both SO₂ and particulate matter levels were higher in the high pollution communities, nor was it possible to attribute the excesses to current levels of exposure or to a residual effect of previous higher exposure concentrations. The fact that young children did not follow the pattern suggests the latter. It was concluded, however, that current or previous exposures to the complexity of air pollutants in New York City was at least partially responsible for increased incidences of acute respiratory disease.     

Community inequality and smoking cessation in New Zealand, 1981–2006

The overall prevalence of smoking in New Zealand reduced from 32% in 1981 to 23.5% in 2006 but rates of smoking cessation have not been consistent among all social, demographic and ethnic groups. The period 1981–2006 also saw macroeconomic changes in New Zealand that resulted in profound increases in social and economic inequalities. Within this socio-political context we address two questions. First, has there been a social polarisation in smoking prevalence and cessation in New Zealand between 1981 and 2006? Second, to what extent can ethnic variation in rates of quitting be explained by community inequality, independently of socio-economic status? We find that smoking behaviour in New Zealand has become socially and ethnically more polarised over the past two decades, with greater levels of smoking cessation among higher socio-economic groups, and among New Zealanders of European origin. Variations in quit rates between Māori and European New Zealanders cannot be fully accounted for by ethnic differences in socio-economic status. Community inequality exerted a significant influence on Māori (but not European) smoking quit rates. The association with community inequality was particularly profound among women, and for particular age groups living in urban areas. These findings extend the international evidence for a relationship between social inequality and health, and in particular smoking behaviour. The research also confirms the importance of considering the role of contextual factors when attempting to elucidate the mechanisms linking socio-economic factors to health outcomes. Our findings emphasise that, if future smoking cessation strategies are to be successful, attention has to shift from policies that focus solely on engineering individual behavioural change, to an inclusion of the role of environmental stressors such as community inequality.     

Does long term residency near industry have an impact on the body burden of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,furans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in older women?

Background: For the retrospective study of environment and health linkages biomarkers of exposure are required. Polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been useful markers in some settings. This is the first study of PCDD/F body burden in a population based sample from the UK. Aims and Methods: The authors aimed to investigate whether long term residents close to a heavy chemical industrial complex (Teesside, UK) had a higher body burden and distinct pattern of PCDD/F and PCBs. We measured current levels of PCDD/F and PCBs in a population based sample of older women (mean 64 years, range 42–79 years). Forty women were recruited, 20 living near (zone A: 0.1–2.7 km) and 20 distant (zone C: 5–40 km) from industry during 2000–03. The authors ascertained occupational exposure to lung carcinogens, residential history, consumption of local produce, breast feeding, diet, and height and weight. Results: The mean body burden measured on lipid basis in ng/kg for the whole sample was: WHO-TEQ (PCDD/Fs): 29.9, 2378TCDD: 4.0, PCB 118:16200, PCB156: 13100. Body burdens were similar to others reported from industrialised countries, except that mean 2378TCDD was slightly higher. Mean ages, body mass index, and lifelong dietary patterns were similar in both zones. The authors found no significant difference in mean body burden levels between zones A and C before or after adjustment for covariates. All congener patterns were consistent with an urban background pattern, and there was no significant difference between congener compositions in the two zones. The TCDD body burden increased with age with accelerated increments above age 70. Conclusion: Long term residency near heavy and chemical industry did not have an effect on women''s body burden of PCDD/Fs and PCBs on Teesside, UK. The body burden of PCDD/F and PCBs was not a suitable biomarker for chronic, non-occupational exposure to industrial air pollution.     

Coverage of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the New York Times, 1950–2012

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that occurs for some individuals following a traumatic experience and that can cause significant health, mental health, and functioning problems. The concept of PTSD has multiple components (cause, reactions, and treatment), which provides for great variety in the experience of an individual with PTSD. Given this complexity, the news media's construction of PTSD is likely an important influence in determining how the public understands PTSD, but research has yet to investigate how the news media depict PTSD. This study addresses that gap in the literature by examining New York Times coverage of PTSD from 1950 to 2012. Results indicate that the number of PTSD articles during this time period increased, with coverage spikes related to U.S. military conflicts and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Almost half (49.14%) of all PTSD articles included military service as a PTSD cause. Military PTSD articles were more likely than civilian PTSD articles to depict the disorder as causing anger/irritability/rage, homicide/violence/rape, suicide, substance abuse, and home/work/relationship problems. PTSD news stories were almost always (94.8%) situated in the current time and most frequently (46.6%) used a community frame. Implications for public understanding of PTSD are discussed.     

Residues of organochlorines in mallards and blue-winged teal collected in Colombia and Wisconsin, 1984–1989

We compared the seasonal concentrations of 12 organochlorine (OC) compounds in samples of breast muscle, associated skin, and subcutaneous fat of blue-winged teal (Anas discors) collected in Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, Colombia (1987–1988), and of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and blue-winged teal collected in Wisconsin (1984–1989). Although these species have similar feeding habits and overlapping breeding distributions, their winter ranges differ markedly. Most blue-winged teal winter in the Neotropics, whereas most mallards remain in the temperate regions of North America. A seasonal comparison of OC exposure in these species may help determine the geographic origins of contamination. All examined OCs were found to be below concentrations known to affect reproduction in waterfowl. DDE was most often detected in blue-winged teal and PCBs, in mallards. DDE exposure may have predominantly occurred outside of Wisconsin. The DDE concentration in blue-winged teal samples collected in Wisconsin in the spring (GM=0.406 g/g) were greater (P<0.001) than in the fall (GM=0.033 g/g) and greater than the concentrations in mallard samples from the spring (GM=0.058 g/g; P<0.001). Ciénaga Grande, however, was not a source of DDE contamination. The DDE concentrations in blue-winged teal samples from Ciénaga Grande did not differ between the spring (GM=0.037 g/g) and the fall (GM=0.039 g/g) and were lower (P<0.001) than the concentration in blue-winged teal samples from Wisconsin in the spring. In contrast, PCB contamination seemed to have occurred in Wisconsin and affected mostly mallards. PCBs were not detected in the samples from Colombia and were detected in only five (8.3%) of the blue-winged teal samples from Wisconsin (GM=0.025 g/g), however, those compounds were detected in 47% of the mallard samples collected in Wisconsin (GM=0.272 g/g). DDE and PCB concentrations were greater (P=0.0) in mallard samples collected from wetlands adjacent to Lake Michigan than in samples from inland wetlands.     

Patient-, Hospital-, and Neighborhood-Level Factors Associated with Severe Maternal Morbidity During Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study in New York State 2013–2014

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Background The incidence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) during childbirth is increasing in the United States. A better characterization of risk factors for...     

Continuing Organochlorine Insecticide Mortality in Wild Birds in New York, 2000–2004

No abstract available.