FOREVER CHEMICALS

PFAS levels lower in buildings with healthier furnishings

Peer-Reviewed Publication

HARVARD T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Boston, MA – Buildings renovated with healthier furnishings had significantly lower levels of the entire group of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS)—toxic chemicals linked with many negative health effects—than buildings with conventional furnishings, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

The study was published online Nov. 4, 2022 in Environmental Science & Technology. 

“We have decades of research showing that PFAS are concerning for human health and the environment. Our findings provide desperately needed scientific evidence for the success of healthier materials—which don’t have to be more expensive or perform less well—as a real-world solution to reduce indoor exposure to forever chemicals as a whole,” said Anna Young, research associate in the Department of Environmental Health, associate director of the Healthy Buildings program, and lead author of the study.  

PFAS—dubbed “forever chemicals” because of their extreme persistence in the environment due to their characteristic fluorine-carbon backbone—are artificial compounds widely used for their stain-resistant and water-resistant properties. There are at least 12,000 different types of PFAS, and they are found in products such as furniture, carpet, textiles, food packaging, nonstick cookware, cosmetics, firefighter gear, and firefighting foam. PFAS have been detected in the blood of over 98% of Americans. Health problems linked with PFAS exposure include thyroid disease, stunted development, weakened immune system, high cholesterol, testicular cancer, obesity, and diabetes. However, there is very little published research on the effectiveness of actionable solutions to reduce indoor exposure to forever chemicals. 

To assess indoor PFAS levels, Young and her colleagues analyzed dust in buildings on a university campus. In previous research, they’d found that levels of 15 types of PFAS were lower in buildings with healthier materials. But in the new study, they wanted a way to measure all types of PFAS, because the vast majority of the thousands of PFAS in use are unknown or cannot be measured using traditional lab techniques. As a novel surrogate to measure PFAS, they used organic fluorine, which is found in all PFAS. 

Comparing 12 indoor spaces with healthier carpet and furniture to another 12 spaces with conventional furnishings, the researchers found that PFAS concentrations in dust were 66% lower in the 12 rooms with healthier materials compared to the 12 rooms furnished without particular attention to PFAS. Organic fluorine levels were also lower in the healthier spaces, showing that renovating spaces with healthier furnishings succeeded in not only lowering the 15 PFAS traditionally investigated, but the entire class of forever chemicals. 

The 15 types of PFAS that researchers could measure in the lab were significantly correlated with organic fluorine concentrations, but only accounted for up to 9% of it—suggesting the likely presence of many unidentified PFAS in the dust. 

The researchers stressed that it’s important for manufacturers to eliminate entire groups of unnecessary toxic chemicals such as PFAS from furnishings, and to make healthier furniture and carpet materials the norm. Manufacturers should also provide fully disclosed third-party-verified chemical ingredient lists for these “healthier” materials, the authors said. 

“This study addresses a key question: If we demand products without any forever chemicals, do we see a reduction in total PFAS beyond the usual 15 measured in a lab?” said Joseph Allen, associate professor of exposure assessment science, director of the Healthy Buildings program, and senior author of the study. “The answer is unequivocally, yes.” 

Other Harvard co-authors of the study included Heidi Pickard and Elsie Sunderland. 

The research was supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Grant T32 ES007069, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Grant T42 OH008416, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant P30ES000002, and the Harvard Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund.  

“Organic fluorine as an indicator of per- and polyfluoroalkul substances in dust from buildings with healthier versus conventional materials,” Anna S. Young, Heidi M. Pickard, Elsie M. Sunderland, Joseph G. Allen, Environmental Science & Technology, online Nov. 4, 2022, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05198 

Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings. 

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people’s lives—not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America’s oldest professional training program in public health. 

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JOURNAL

Environmental Science & Technology

DOI

10.1021/acs.est.2c05198 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Organic fluorine as an indicator of per- and polyfluoroalkul substances in dust from buildings with healthier versus conventional materials

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

4-Nov-2022

Hazardous flame retardant OPEs detected at higher levels than BFRs at an informal end-of-life vehicle recycling site

Peer-Reviewed Publication

EHIME UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: END-OF-LIFE VEHICLE PARTS CONTAIN HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS, INCLUDING BROMINATED AND ORGANOPHOSPHOROUS FLAME RETARDANTS view more 

CREDIT: ©SHIN TAKAHASHI

Researchers in Ehime University (Japan) investigated the contamination levels and composition profiles of halogenated and phosphorous flame retardants in settled dust from informal waste processing sites in Vietnam, and detected the emerging flame retardants organophosphate esters (OPEs) at higher concentrations than those of the legacy brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the end-of-life vehicle (ELV) processing site. The findings were published in Environmental Pollution on October 1, 2022.

E-waste, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and ELVs are considered to be hazardous waste, as these waste materials contain a wide range of toxic substances, including heavy metals and organic contaminants such as flame retardants and insulating reagents. Informal waste recycling activities using primitive processing methods in lower income countries have become major emission sources of these toxic substances affecting the environment and nearby populations. Following previous findings by the same research group on high contamination levels of BFRs from flame retarded polymers and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from electrical capacitors in informal e-waste and ELV processing sites in Vietnam, a more comprehensive study was conducted at these sites to investigate the occurrence of a wider range of flame retardants including new BFRs, chlorinated flame retardants and OPEs. The contamination levels of flame retardants in the ELV processing site were found to be, in general, lower than those in the e-waste processing site. The composition profiles of flame retardants in the ELV site featured a distinctly higher contribution of chlorinated OPEs, possibly released from upholstery and fabrics in the vehicle interiors. These findings showed the need for further investigations on the application and emission of OPEs in automotive industry and ELV processing.

The study is part of a multi-year collaboration research project between Ehime University and University of Science (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), with contributions from National Institute for Environmental Studies (Japan).

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JOURNAL

Environmental Pollution

DOI

10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119809 

Automatic speaker recognition technology outperforms human listeners in the courtroom - new research

Researchers have compared speaker identification by listeners (like judges or jury members) with the output of a forensic-voice-comparison system

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ASTON UNIVERSITY

A key question in a number of court cases is whether a speaker on an audio recording is a particular known speaker, e.g., whether a speaker on a recording of an intercepted  telephone call is the defendant.

In most English-speaking countries, expert testimony is only admissible in a court of law if it will potentially assist the judge or the jury to make a decision. If the judge or the jury’s speaker identification were equally accurate or more accurate than a forensic scientist’s forensic voice comparison, then the forensic-voice-comparison testimony would not be admissible.

In a research paper “Speaker identification in courtroom contexts – Part I”, recently published in the journal Forensic Science International, a multidisciplinary international team of researchers has reported the first set of results from a comprehensive study that compares the accuracy of speaker-identification by individual listeners (like judges or jury members) with the accuracy of a forensic-voice-comparison system that is based on state-of-the-art automatic-speaker-recognition technology, and that does so using recordings that reflect the conditions of an actual case.

The questioned-speaker recording was of a telephone call with background office noise, and the known-speaker recording was of a police interview conducted in echoey room with background ventilation-system noise.

The forensic-voice-comparison system performed better than all the 226 listeners who were tested.

The research team was made up of forensic data scientists, legal scholars, experimental psychologists, and phoneticians, based in the UK, Australia, and Chile.

Corresponding author Dr Geoffrey Stewart Morrison, director of the Forensic Data Science Laboratory at Aston University, said:

“A few years ago, when I was testifying in a court case, I was asked by a lawyer why the judge couldn’t just listen to the recordings and make a decision. Wouldn’t the judge do better than the forensic-voice-comparison system that I had used? That was the spark that lead to us conducting this research. I was expecting our forensic-voice-comparison system to perform better than most of the listeners, but I was surprized when it actually performed better than all of them. I’m happy that we now have such a clear answer to the question asked by the lawyer.”

Contributing author Dr Kristy A Martire, School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales, said:

“Past experiences where we have successfully recognized familiar speakers, such as family members or friends, can lead us to believe that we are better at identifying unfamiliar voices than we really are. This study shows that whatever ability a listener may have in recognizing familiar speakers, their ability to identify unfamiliar speakers is unlikely to be better than a forensic-voice-comparison system.”

Contributing author Professor Gary Edmond, School of Law at the University of New South Wales, said:

“Unequivocal scientific findings are that identification of unfamiliar speakers by listeners is unexpectedly difficult and much more error-prone than judges and others have appreciated. We should not encourage or enable nonexperts, including judges and jurors, to engage in unduly error-prone speaker identification. Instead, we should seek the services of real experts: specialist forensic scientists who employ empirically validated and demonstrably reliable forensic-voice-comparison systems.”

For more information about this research and other work by the Forensic Data Science Laboratory, click here.

The research paper is available open access here.

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JOURNAL

Forensic Science International

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2022.111499 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Speaker identification in courtroom contexts – Part I: Individual listeners compared to forensic voice comparison based on automatic-speaker-recognition technology

Fearful cats also express other problematic behaviour – Socialisation important already at early stages of life

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

Cats are popular pets. At times, their aggression towards humans and other problematic behaviour poses challenges to our co-existence with them and can even result in giving up the pet. The causes underlying problematic behaviour can be varied, and they are poorly known. Even internationally, very little research has been conducted on the topic.

“We wanted to find out what factors are associated with the problematic behaviour of cats, such as fearfulness, aggression towards humans and excessive grooming. We utilised a survey dataset previously collected in our research, which we have already used to investigate the construction of the feline personality,” says Doctoral Researcher Salla Mikkola from the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center

Socialisation important already in kittenhood

The survey included more than 120 statements used to score feline traits. 

The fearfulness factor included statements on the cat’s reaction to strangers, sudden noises and changes taking place at home. Aggression towards humans included scratching or attempts to bite in conjunction with care, such as when being brushed. Excessive grooming included extensive and intensive grooming as well as self-mutilation by pulling hairs off with teeth, or by biting or licking.

“We investigated the link between these problematic behavioural and personality traits, and almost 30 behavioural, environmental and biological factors. For example, the socialisation of cats with humans was associated with fearfulness. Cats who had come into contact with unfamiliar adults and children under 12 weeks of age only a few times or not at all were more fearful than cats who met strangers on a weekly or daily basis. Fearful cats also received, on average, higher scores for litterbox issues, aggression and excessive grooming,” Mikkola says.

Prior studies have also shown that fearfulness can lead to aggressive behaviour, such as hissing and biting, if the cat sees no other way out of a frightening situation. No direct causalities can be established on the basis of the data.

“There were less aggression and fearfulness in households with more than one cat, but we cannot say for certain why this is. It may be that the companionship of other cats is an important stimulus for cats, or alternatively, people don’t want to take a mate for their aggressive cat due to its nature. Research carried out through a different design is needed to explain causalities,” says Professor Hannes Lohi.

Next, Professor Lohi’s group will conduct research on feline litterbox issues.

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JOURNAL

iScience

DOI

10.1016/j.isci.2022.105265 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Fearfulness associates with problematic behaviours and poor socialization in cats

Microplastic pollution threatens the world’s coastal lagoons

Protected, but also polluted coastal lagoons

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA

 

IMAGE: ACCUMULATION OF WASTE ON THE SHORE OF THE LA VIRGEN MARSH IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA. view more 

CREDIT: OSTIN GARCÉS-ORDÓÑEZ (UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA)

Globally, the coastal lagoons of Lagos (Nigeria), Sakumo (Ghana) and Bizerte (Tunisia) —close to large urban centres and without waste and sewage treatment systems— are among the most affected water ecosystems of this nature by microplastic pollution. However, the highest concentrations of microplastics have been detected in Barnes Sound and other small lagoons in a protected area in the north of Florida Bay (USA), a particular case that can be explained by the transport of microplastics carried by hurricanes from polluted areas.

These are some of the conclusions of a study published in the journal Environmental Pollution by PhD student Ostin Garcés-Ordóñez —led by Professor Miquel Canals, director of the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the University of Barcelona— and other co-authors. The article, which includes the participation of experts from institutions in Colombia and Chile, reviews the progress of the knowledge on microplastic pollution in coastal lagoons around the world and warns of the abundance of fibres and fragments of polyethylene, polyester and polypropylene in some of these valuable ecosystems.

Protected, but also polluted coastal lagoons

Coastal lagoons are transitional ecosystems between inland and marine water systems. With a great ecological and socio-economic value, these habitats are also affected by the impact of human activities. The study reviews the published scientific literature on microplastic pollution in 50 coastal lagoons in 20 countries on different continents, namely Europe (32%), Asia (20%), Latin America and the Caribbean (18%), Africa (12%), North America (10%) and Oceania (8%).

Coastal lagoons are of great importance for biodiversity conservation. They are also the main providers of food and other ecosystem services to local —often vulnerable— populations that depend on them. 58% of these ecosystems have some form of national or international protection status (Ramsar Convention on wetlands of international importance, biosphere reserves, areas of importance for wildlife conservation, or others).

"In these natural habitats, peak levels of microplastic pollution result from a combination of several factors. For example, the residence time and water renewal rate of lagoons, the presence of large urban and industrial developments with insufficient waste management, river and outfall discharges, seasonal climate fluctuations, natural phenomena (hurricanes, typhoons, etc.) and the typology of microplastics", says researcher Ostin Garcés-Ordóñez, a member of the Consolidated Research Group in Marine Geosciences and first author of the article.

Coastal lagoons with slow —or very slow— water turnover rates are the most susceptible to high microplastic pollution. In the case of the Mosquito Lagoon in Florida (USA), it takes 200-300 days to renew 50% of the water, and therefore microplastics entering this lagoon can remain in this ecosystem for considerable periods of time.

"During the rainy season, the concentration of microplastics also increases in surface water compared to the dry season, a phenomenon that has been observed in the lagoon of Rio Lagarto (Mexico) and in the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (Colombia), with maximum levels in areas where the most intense human activities are recorded", says Garcés-Ordóñez, also a member of the Colombian Institute of Marine and Coastal Research.

Fish fauna, which is of great commercial interest due to its exploitation for human consumption, is one of the best-studied groups of organisms in relation to the impact of microplastics. The study, which reviews the effects of pollution on 96 species, finds a maximum impact on fish in the lagoons of Bizerte and Ghar El Melh (Tunisia), especially the species Liza aurata and Sarpa salpa, with intakes of up to 65 microplastics per individual. Molluscs, with levels of up to 17 microplastics per individual, are another of the most affected groups, with maximum values detected in Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in the Mosquito Lagoon (USA).

The coastal lagoons of the Iberian Peninsula: data and predictions

Regarding the Iberian Peninsula, coastal lagoons are relatively few in number and small in comparison with other coastal lagoon systems in the world. Most of them are associated with the lower courses of rivers and their former mouths, as well as with the coastal drift of sediments, as is the case of the marshes of Empordà, the Ebro delta, the Valencia lagoon or the lagoon system of the Portuguese Algarve.

"The environmental state of these lagoons is variable and changes over time. Some suffer the effects of pollution from urban, industrial and agricultural sources, such as the Valencia lagoon and the Mar Menor in Murcia, where there have recently been massive deaths of fish due to episodes of anoxia", notes Professor Miquel Canals, director of the UB Department of Earth and Ocean Dynamics and a leading member of the research team.

"The Mar Menor, which is the largest coastal lagoon in Spain, has unique characteristics among the Iberian coastal lagoons, given the high salinity of its waters as a result of its permanent communication with the open sea and the presence of several volcanic islets. Episodes of drought can have notable effects on some of these lake systems, as is already happening in the marshes of the Empordà or in Doñana", Canals points out.

The study reveals the presence of microplastics in the water column, sediments and fish in the coastal lagoons of the Mar Menor (Murcia), the Pletera (Catalonia) and in Ria Formosa and Aveiro (Portugal). "In Spanish lagoons, an average of 20.1±2.9 microplastics per kilogram of the digestive tract has been found in sea bream (Sparus aurata) in the Mar Menor, and an abundance of up to 2.5 microplastics per individual in the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) in the restored Pletera lagoon in Girona", says Miquel Canals.

“In the Mar Menor —he continues— the average abundance would be 43.5 to 53.1 microplastics per kilogram of sediment according to two published studies, a value significantly lower than that found in the coastal lagoons of Venice and Sacca di Goro (Italy), Anzali (Iran), Bizerte (Tunisia) and Lagos (Nigeria), but higher than that detected in the Ria Formosa (Portugal)”.

Coastal lagoons, new sinks for microplastics?

In addition to accumulating in specific areas of lagoon ecosystems, microplastics can also end up in the sea and further aggravate the problem of ocean pollution.

"We can certainly say that the different environmental matrices of coastal lagoons —i.e. waters, sediments and organisms living in these habitats— are receptors of microplastics and are affected by the pollution they cause. However, we do not yet know to what extent coastal lagoons are ultimate sinks for microplastics," says Canals.

"This is related to the characteristics and dynamics of each lagoon, as well as to the quantities and properties of incoming microplastics. Thus, some lagoons may be true sinks while others may function as temporary sinks in the microplastic cycle, easing, for example, their transfer from river systems to beaches and the marine environment. Such criteria could be used to classify coastal lagoons according to the balance between inward and, eventually, outward fluxes of microplastics".

Objective: to prevent microplastics from entering the natural environment

The review published in the journal Environmental Pollution is based on studies that have combined different methodological approaches —direct visual inspection, chemical digestion, density separation— to study different habitats that may include coral reefs, seagrass beds, beaches and swamps.

"Our study shows the effort to improve microplastic sampling and identification methods: to determine the optimal sample size and avoid possible contamination, to apply staining techniques to optimise microplastic identification, and to reduce the costs of the different methodologies so that they can be applied to long-term monitoring programmes", says Ostin Garcés-Ordóñez.

"In many parts of the world, research is limited by the limited availability of financial, human and infrastructure resources (e.g. Raman or Fourier-Transform infrared spectrometers to characterise the composition of plastic polymers)", says Garcés-Ordóñez. "Extensively applying both simple and more advanced methodologies will answer many open questions about the dynamics of microplastics in these environments or the role of lagoons as temporary or permanent microplastic sinks”, he adds.

As Miquel Canals notes, "the best way to tackle and minimise the problem of microplastic pollution in general and in coastal lagoons specifically is to stop it from entering natural systems from the roots. It is necessary to act on the sources and the causes that favour their arrival in coastal lagoons and the rest of the ecosystems".

Achieving this goal, or at least getting closer to it, would require a series of combined actions at global, regional, national and local levels. Firstly, to have an adequate regulatory framework and its effective implementation, and then to promote actions to minimise plastic waste generation at all levels (e.g. proper management of waste and wastewater discharged into aquatic ecosystems, and strategies to eliminate the accumulation of large waste in the environment, which can generate secondary microplastics, among others).

"It is obvious that these examples are only some of the existing options, which should also be accompanied by environmental education and monitoring programmes in order to be able to objectively assess their effectiveness. Other options, such as the recovery of microplastics from the natural environment, are not, for the moment, viable", concludes Miquel Canals.

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JOURNAL

Environmental Pollution

DOI

10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120366 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A systematic review on microplastic pollution in water, sediments, and organisms from 50 coastal lagoons across the globe

Promising results from psilocybin trial for treatment-resistant depression

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have participated in the largest and most rigorous clinical trial to date of psilocybin (a psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms), pointing to the possibility that COMP360 psilocybin with psychological support could be a beneficial therapeutic strategy for people with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). 

 

The study is published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), tonight [9pm, Wednesday 2nd November 2022],here: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206443

 

Prompted by promising preliminary findings, this funded multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, phase 2b clinical trial was launched in 2018 to determine the safety and potential antidepressant effects of a single dose of COMP360 psilocybin (25mg or 10mg), compared to 1mg, with psychological support in people with TRD. The study was sponsored by COMPASS Pathways, a mental health company based in the UK, who also developed COMP360 – their proprietary formulation of synthetic psilocybin administered in conjunction with psychological support.

 

The trial, which included 233 people with TRD across 10 countries, including the Irish site at Tallaght University Hospital showed that patients who received a single dose of 25mg COMP360 psilocybin experienced a highly statistically and clinically significant rapid reduction in symptoms of depression compared to 1mg at 3 weeks (p<0.001). This offers hope that COMP360 psilocybin with psychological support could be an effective antidepressant treatment paradigm for some people with TRD, if proven effective and safe in larger studies. COMPASS Pathways will be running a larger phase 3 programme of COMP360 psilocybin therapy in TRD, which is on schedule to begin in 2022.

 

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS

 

• 25mg COMP360 psilocybin with psychological support led to a statistically and clinically significantly reduction in symptoms of depression in people with TRD compared to 1mg at week 3.
• 37% of people with TRD in the 25mg group met criteria for response at week 3 (≥50% decrease in depressive symptoms).
• Approximately 30% of people with TRD in the 25mg group met criteria for remission at week 3 (29.1%).
• 20% of people with TRD in the 25mg group met criteria for sustained response at week 12.
• COMP360 psilocybin was generally well-tolerated.

 

Dr John R. Kelly, Psychiatrist and Clinical Senior Lecturer, Trinity College said:

 

“This is the largest and most rigorous clinical trial of psilocybin to date. It shows a promising antidepressant signal for 25mg COMP360 psilocybin  with psychological support and has paved the way for phase 3 clinical trials, which will determine whether it translates into a much-needed complementary treatment strategy in the psychiatry clinic. 

 

We look forward to the phase 3 trial, and to the development of a translational psychedelic science research programme in Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and Tallaght University Hospital. Ultimately, we hope that this will deliver tangible benefits to patients, the health service and to Irish society.”

 

You can access the paper: 'Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression' in the NEJM here: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206443

 

Ends

 

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JOURNAL

New England Journal of Medicine

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

4-Nov-2022

Exercise science researchers pinpoint method to 'prescribe' aerobic exercise like medicine

Using something called 'critical power,' team aims to create exercise prescriptions

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

It’s a common phenomenon for anyone who regularly works out: two people with similar fitness levels can do the same exercise and get completely different results. It’s extremely frustrating for the person who can’t seem to improve, despite trying their hardest.

A group of Brigham Young University exercise science researchers know the feeling and have taken a run at solving the problem. Good news: they believe they’ve cracked the code.

Newly published research by the team unveils a more effective way to determine the intensity at which each person should work out to achieve the greatest results. A study appearing in the Journal of Applied Physiology outlines a new system to create not just personalized workouts, but “prescribed” workouts that provide results regardless of an individual’s current health.

“One day we’ll get to prescribe exercise like medicine,” said Jayson Gifford, BYU exercise science professor and senior author on the study. “In order to prescribe medicine, you need to have predictable results for each dosage of medicine. We’ve found the exact same thing applies to exercise.”

The research explains that when exercise is personally prescribed based on what is called “critical power,” the results show greater improvement in endurance and greater long-term benefits for the individual. The authors define critical power as the highest level of our comfort zone. “It’s the level at which we can perform for a long period of time before things start to get uncomfortable,” said study lead author Jessica Collins, a former BYU graduate student.

It works something like this: Suppose two friends have a similar Max Heart Rate. Previous understanding of exercise would suggest that if they run together at the same speed, they should have very similar experiences. However, it so happens that when these two friends run at 6 mph, the exercise is easy for one, but difficult for the other. These distinctive experiences at the same speed and same percent of Max Heart Rate are because 6 mph is below the one friend’s critical power, but above the other’s critical power.

When exercise is below a person’s critical power, their body can compensate for the energy challenge and reach a comfortable and controlled homeostasis. However, when exercise is above one’s critical power, their body cannot completely compensate for the energy demand, resulting in exhaustion.

Traditionally, individualized exercise has been recommended based on a fixed percentage of one's maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 Max) or their Max Heart Rate. Collins and Gifford said using “critical power” is a better way of prescribing exercise because it not only accurately serves athletes and those in great shape, but it also serves those who are older or have a more sedentary lifestyle.

“This kind of research helps every kind of person, no matter how active they presently are,” Collins said.

For the study, Collins, Gifford and coauthors recruited 22 participants between the ages of 18-35 who were healthy but exhibited low fitness levels. Participants underwent eight weeks of supervised exercise training where they were randomly assigned to either a high intensity bike training or a moderate intensity continuous bike training. Exercises were prescribed traditionally based on an individual’s max heart rate or VO2 Max.

Researchers discovered that prescribing exercises based on VO2 Max as a reference point results in alarming variability in results. There were participants who benefited significantly from the training period and others who did not, even though the training was personalized to them. They compared this to each individual’s critical power and found that it accounted for 60% of the variability in their findings. If exercises had been prescribed using critical power as a reference point versus their heart rate, the results would have varied less, meaning the training sessions would have been more effective and beneficial for each participant.

“One of the biggest reasons people don’t exercise as much as they should is because they tried something in the past, and it didn’t work out the way they were expecting it to,” Collins said. “The great thing about basing exercises on critical power is that we can almost always guarantee the result, which allows us to help people to achieve their fitness goals.”

To calculate a person’s critical power, researchers had participants complete multiple distances of exercise (i.e. running, biking) as fast as they could. They then took the average speed and inserted that data into a proprietary formula that determines the relationship between exercise distance and exercise time to produce a critical power number. They found a person’s critical power can increase substantially with exercise training, making things that used to be hard less challenging, less uncomfortable and less fatiguing.

“Exercise is so good for you that you’ll see some sort of benefit no matter what you do,” Gifford said. “This research simply informs people that they can more fully optimize their exercise, so they get more out of it. We are excited for when it becomes more accessible for people to know their personal critical power in the near future.”

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JOURNAL

Journal of Applied Physiology

DOI

10.1152/japplphysiol.00344.2022 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Critical power and work-prime account for variability in endurance training adaptations not captured by V̇o2max

Beer hops compounds could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Beer is one of the oldest and most popular beverages in the world, with some people loving and others hating the distinct, bitter taste of the hops used to flavor its many varieties. But an especially “hoppy” brew might have unique health benefits. Recent research published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience reports that chemicals extracted from hop flowers can, in lab dishes, inhibit the clumping of amyloid beta proteins, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

AD is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease, often marked by memory loss and personality changes in older adults. Part of the difficulty in treating the disease is the time lag between the start of underlying biochemical processes and the onset of symptoms, with several years separating them. This means that irreversible damage to the nervous system occurs before one even realizes they may have the disease. Accordingly, preventative strategies and therapeutics that can intervene before symptoms appear are of increasing interest.

One of these strategies involves “nutraceuticals,” or foods that have some type of medicinal or nutritional function. The hop flowers used to flavor beers have been explored as one of these potential nutraceuticals, with previous studies suggesting that the plant could interfere with the accumulation of amyloid beta proteins associated with AD. So, Cristina Airoldi, Alessandro Palmioli and colleagues wanted to investigate which chemical compounds in hops had this effect.

To identify these compounds, the researchers created and characterized extracts of four common varieties of hops using a method similar to that used in the brewing process. In tests, they found that the extracts had antioxidant properties and could prevent amyloid beta proteins from clumping in human nerve cells. The most successful extract was from the Tettnang hop, found in many types of lagers and lighter ales. When that extract was separated into fractions, the one containing a high level of polyphenols showed the most potent antibiotic and aggregation-inhibiting activity. It also promoted processes that allow the body to clear out misfolded, neurotoxic proteins. Finally, the team tested the Tettnang extract in a C. elegans model and found that it protected the worms from AD-related paralysis, though the effect was not very pronounced. The researchers say that although this work may not justify drinking more bitter brews, it shows that hop compounds could serve as the basis for nutraceuticals that combat the development of AD.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

JOURNAL

ACS Chemical Neuroscience

DOI

10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00444 

ARTICLE TITLE

“Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention through Natural Compounds: Cell-Free, In Vitro, and In Vivo Dissection of Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) Multitarget Activity”

Wood burner users needed to take part in new ‘pollution alert’ study

Grant and Award Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

People who use wood-burning stoves are needed to take part in the UK’s first study to understand how an air quality alert system could help reduce the health risks posed by wood smoke around their homes and in their communities.

Academics at the universities of Nottingham and Sheffield are studying the Burner Alert system – the first and only system in the UK.

Using data from official sensor networks, and weather and chemistry modelling, the system allows stove users across the country to check air pollution levels on their street via a website before burning. It is designed to allow them to make an informed choice over whether to light their stove when the air quality outside is poor. 

Participants can read the information sheet and sign up to take part here: https://sway.office.com/7Jc3atVoOuMqunqX?ref=Link

Dr James Heydon, study lead at the University of Nottingham, said: “Air quality can vary between areas and wood burner emissions can make it worse, particularly when many stoves are lit at once. The Burner Alert system provides people with real-time data on the air quality in their area, allowing them to make an informed decision about whether to light their stove. We’re interested in understanding how people with stoves use this system and whether it could help to improve air quality in different areas.”

Before lighting their stove, users can enter their postcode to find out the current status of pollution levels in their area. The Burner Alert system uses traffic light colour coding, indicating a different level of air quality with an accompanying recommendation for stove users:

• Green – no alert: if air pollution over the last 24 hours is well below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 24 hour average limit, the colour will be green and no alert will be issued.
• Amber – advisory: if air pollution is approaching the WHO’s average 24 hour limit, an advisory alert will be issued. Given that air pollution is approaching the limit, stove users are asked to consider not lighting their stoves, particularly if they have an alternative source of heat.
• Red – burner alert: the highest level of alert available. Particulate pollution in this area is already above the WHO’s recommended limit for a 24 hour period, and as such, stove users are asked to avoid lighting their stoves, unless they have no alternative source of heating.

Wood burner emissions are attracting increased attention because they produce 17% of all particulate matter emissions nationally; a larger proportion than that produced by traffic. When inhaled, these tiny particles pass through the lungs and into the bloodstream, entering every organ in the body. Exposure increases the risk of respiratory infections across age groups and is associated with the onset of asthma in children, as well as strokes, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and lung cancer in adults. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, between 2010 and 2020 stove emissions across the UK increased by 35 per cent.

Other countries have piloted variations of this approach, with a system in California proving to be notably successful, causing particulate matter pollution to fall between 11 and 15 per cent in its first year. As a result, the number of older people admitted to hospital with heart problems dropped by between 7 and 11 per cent.

Stove users from across the UK are being asked to take part in the study by completing a 15-minute survey at the start and end of a two-week period. Over this time, they will be asked to use the Burner Alert website to check air pollution levels on their street prior to lighting their stove. All participants will be entered into a draw to receive one of ten £20 Amazon vouchers.   

Participants will be asked about their knowledge of air pollution, burning behaviour both prior to and following use of the Burner Alert, as well as their experience of using the system itself to understand how far it could be used to control air pollution in communities. 

The team aim to use this information to make recommendations to local authorities and national government on how Burner Alert systems may be introduced to supplement existing regulations, improve local air quality and achieve clean air targets.

The study team includes experts from the universities of Nottingham and Sheffield, along with industry partner AirRated, to understand the potential for Burner Alerts to reduce air pollution across the UK.

Representing cutting-edge efforts at developing interdisciplinary solutions to air quality issues in urban areas, the team draws insights from the fields of behavioural science, politics, social policy, and civil engineering to understand the role of Burner Alerts in addressing air pollution.

The researchers are also looking to speak with professionals who work in the sector to inform their understanding of the Burner Alert system.

The study – along with the Burner Alert system itself – has been funded by the Institute for Policy and Engagement at the University of Nottingham. The study will run over winter, until March 2023.

The interdisciplinary team is made up of:

• Dr James Heydon (Sociology, University of Nottingham – Principal Investigator)
• Dr Chantelle Wood (Behavioural Science, University of Sheffield)
• Dr Matthew Wood (Politics, University of Sheffield)
• Rohit Chakraborty (Civil Engineering, AirRated)
• Vibhuti Patel (Behavioural Science, University of Sheffield)
• Caitlin Bunce (Social Policy, University of Nottingham)