Environmental exposures may increase a child's risk of developing asthma and also may increase the risk of asthma exacerbations. This article reviews several environmental exposures and suggests whether they contribute to asthma prevalence, asthma exacerbations, or both. Outdoor air exposures and violence are not likely to cause the increase in asthma prevalence. Exposure to outdoor air polluta...

In the Funding section, the grant number for the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China grant is incorrect. Please refer to the correct Funding section here. This research was financially supported by The National Natural Science Foundation as a key project (grant No. 21037002), and by the Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China as an innovative research team project (grant...

Laccases are an interesting group of multi copper enzymes, which have received much attention of researchers in last decades due to their ability to oxidize both phenolic and non-phenolic lignin related compounds as well as highly recalcitrant environmental pollutants. This makes these biocatalysts very useful for their application in several biotechnological processes. Such applications includ...

Enzymatic transformation of recalcitrant and other pollutants is a promising eco-friendly alternative to physico-chemical methods in environmental remediation. This review summarizes some of the significant advances in applications of oxidative enzymes for treatment of xenobiotics. The review also discusses some of the underlying principles and enzyme reaction mechanisms in the detoxification o...

Juvenile stages of Caenorhabditis elegans (nematoda) were isolated and grown in an axenic medium containing various concentrations of CdCl2. Growth of the organisms was significantly reduced from a level of 1 microM CdCl2. Reproduction of the nematodes was also reduced from that 1 microM exposure level. At levels of 160 and 320 microM, growth was retarded at the early juvenile stages and the or...

Response surface methodology is a widely used technique for modelling and optimization of the photocatalytic treatment processes of water and wastewater. This methodology not only estimates linear, interaction and quadratic effects of the factors on the response, but also provides a prediction model for the response at the range of the variables studied and the optimum conditions to achieve the...

Laccases are an interesting group of multi copper enzymes, which have received much attention of researchers in the last decades due to their ability to oxidise both phenolic and nonphenolic lignin-related compounds as well as highly recalcitrant environmental pollutants. This makes these biocatalysts very useful for their application in several biotechnological processes, including the food in...

711 While the grass may be greener in the other field, is it better for you or your baby? Hidden risks of environmental pollutants. N. P. Evans*1, M. Bellingham1, C. Cotinot2, S. M. Rhind3, R. Sharpe4, and P. A. Fowler5, 1University of Glasgow, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Glasgow, UK, 2INRA, UMR 1198 Biologie d...

BACKGROUND Research indicates that the double jeopardy of exposure to environmental hazards combined with place-based stressors is associated with maternal and child health (MCH) disparities. OBJECTIVE AND DISCUSSION Our aim is to present evidence that individual-level and place-based psychosocial stressors may compromise host resistance such that environmental pollutants would have adverse h...

Environmental risk assessment is an essential step in the development of solutions for pollution problems and new environmental regulations. An assessment system for environmental risks has been developed in China in recent decades. However, many of the Chinese technical guidelines, standards, and regulations were directly adapted from those of developed countries, and were not based on the Chi...