Human cord serum

Schwartz PM, Jacobson SW, Eein G, et al. 1983. Lake Michigan fish consumption as a source of polychlorinated biphenyls in human cord serum, maternal serum, and milk. Am J Public Health... 

D15. D Ercole, A. J., Foushee, D. B., and Underwood, L. E., Somatomedin-C receptor ontogeny and leveb in porcine fetal and human cord serum. J. CUn. Endocrinol. Metab. 43, 1069-1077 (1976). 

Adverse reproductive effects have been observed in animals fed PCB in the diet. Fetal resorptions were common, and dose-related incidences of terata were found in pups and piglets when females were fed Arochlor 1254 at Img/kg/day or more. Long-term low-level maternal exposure of rats before breeding and throughout gestation and lactation caused permanent hearing deficits, decreased serum thyroid hormones, and reproductive effects. PCBs have been observed in human cord blood and in tissues of newborn humans and animals. ... 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Numerous reports have been published regarding levels of PBBs in serum, adipose tissue, breast milk, placenta, and cord serum of humans exposed to PBBs via the diet (Anderson et al. 1978d Eyster et al. 1983 Landrigan et al. 1979 Stross et al. 1979, 1981 Wolff et al. 1979a, 1982). 

Jaraezewska, K., Lulek, J., Covaci, A., Voorspoels, S., Kaluba-Skotarczak, A., Drews, K., Schepens, P. (2006) Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human umbilical cord serum, maternal serum and milk from Wielkopolska region, Poland ScL Total Environ., THl 20-31. 

Evidence is also available that the developing chicken embryo obtains vitamin A needed for fetal development from maternal retinol-RBP complex that had been incorporated into the yolk of the egg (Heller, 1976 Abe et al., 1976 Sreekrishna and Cama, 1978). It has been found in humans that vitamin A in cord blood is present as the retinol-RBP complex (Vahlquist et al., 1975). RBP in human fetal serum, collected at the time of birth, appeared to be identical with RBP present in serum of adults (Ismadi and Olson, 1975). The extent to which cord blood RBP might represent RBP transferred from maternal to fetal circulation, compared to RBP synthesized by the term fetus, is not known. Retinol present in holo-RBP in cord blood certainly must have had a maternal origin. Information is needed about the mechanisms involved in the transport of RBP across the placenta in the developing mammalian fetus at different stages of development. 

Polybrominated Biphenyls. Body burden data indicate that low-level exposures to PBBs have occurred for people in the state of Michigan. No recent information about average daily intake of PBBs was located. The levels of PBBs in human tissue and body fluids, such as blood, serum, adipose tissue, breast milk, feces, cord blood, biliary fluid, and placenta, of people in the state of Michigan have been extensively studied (Brilliant et al. 1978 Cordle et al. 1978 Eyster et al. 1983 Humphrey and Hayner 1975 Lambert et al. 1990 Landrigan et al. 1979 Wolff et al. 1982). However, no recent data are available. Data on the levels of PBBs in tissues and body fluids of residents who live in the vicinity of sites of industrial discharge of PBB wastes were not located. Updated infonnation would be useful to understand current exposure levels of people in the state of Michigan to PBBs. This information is necessary for assessing the need to conduct health studies on these populations. 

The most prevalent BoNTs isolated in human botulism are serotypes A, B, and E. The abihty of serotypes C and D, in addition to F, to paralyze human skeletal muscle should also be noted (Hilmas, impublished). Complicating matters is the fact that all BoNTs remain stable in common beverages and retain significant potency for prolonged periods of time (>90 days) at room temperature and in biological fluids (human whole blood and serum) at physiological temperatures (Hilmas et ah, 2006b Williams et ah, 2007). In addition, BoNTs possess a remarkable ability to remain within the nerve terminal for extended periods. Keller et ah (1999) showed BoNT protein detectable by western blot for 90 days in rat spinal cord cultures. 

TTV can be transmitted by blood products and through common parenteral routes (560, 563, 564) as well as by haemodialysis. (554, 556) TTV could also be detected in umbilical cord blood, so that a neonatal (in utero) transmission is to be considered. (558) The likelihood of enteric transmission has been shown by the finding of TTV DNA in breast milk, saliva, duodenal fluid, bile juice and faeces. There is a higher viral load in saliva than in the corresponding serum. (555,566) TTV displays ubiquitous diffusion in human tissue and is able to invade the central nervous system. (562) A high virus load has been demonstrated in patients with HCV-associated HHC. (568) Although TTV has been found in patients with a broad range of liver diseases, current... 

An important issue related to evaluating health effects of PCBs in humans is exposure assessment. Exposure to PCBs has been assessed by measuring PCBs in blood, breast milk, and adipose hssue. Umbilical cord blood also has been used to estimate exposure in utero. In addition, fish consumption has been utilized as surrogate of PCB exposure in some studies, but this measure of exposure has not always been reliable. Mean serum PCB levels range from 0.9-1.5 ppb (pg/L), in recent years, in individuals who do not have diets high in fish from waters contaminated with PCBs. In the absence of human data, environmental sampling (soil, sediment, air, food, water) has also been used to estimate exposure. 

Dussault JH, Row VV, Lickrish G, Volp6 R, Studies of serum triiodothyronine concentration in maternal and cord blood Transfer of triiodothyronine across human placenta. J Clin Endocrinol 29 595 (1969)... 

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